Katsumi: Underground
by RedCloudGoddess
Summary: Katsumi Uchiha is the younger sister of Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha. She was forced to work under the likes of Orochimaru, along with fellow medic-nin, Kabuto. She had always regretted fleeing the Leaf, turning her back on her friends and mentors. What she also regretted was becoming attracted towards a certain male in which he felt something more, without the knowledge of her brother
1. Chapter 1

**Hey I'm back guys! And better than ever! Let's get started on the updated story!**

 **Oh, and sorry for deleting this chapter right when I posted it. There were some difficulties, but now it's ready for your enjoyment.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: A Forgotten Memory**

I was aimlessly walking through the dark hallways of Orochimaru's underground lair, pretending as if I knew where I was supposed to go. Even after three years of living here in the depths of darkness, I still had no clue where to go. In the past, Orochimaru would get exasperated for my lateness. However he got used to it, and would lecture me to learn my way through the lair because he wasn't gonna babysit me and whatnot. I would normally walk with Sasuke since he got the hang of the place, but ever since we left the Hidden Leaf Village, he became very distant and more monotone towards everyone and everything—including me. At the time, it was hard for me to digest it because we were so very close, and now we act like complete strangers towards each other. But it doesn't matter because I know he still loves me just as much as he did years ago; he cared about me regardless and I know it was different now but I'm okay with that. He would always be there for me and I would always be there for him no matter what.

Then there was the one person that I was trying to avoid for a long time, Kabuto Yakushi. I guess we amended our relationship during the chunin exam years back because I felt a little bad for treating him the way I did. But that was when I thought he was a Hidden Leaf Village shinobi assisting my squad. But no, he was an undercover spy for Orochimaru, one of the top wanted rogue ninja in the books. Since then I took back all the bits of guilt I had for treating him; he deserved it. It shouldn't matter anyway because like always, annoying the shit out of me was something that never got old to him. He thought that just because backstabbing me and Squad 7 was now the past, we could still be friends? He thought. There were times when he would try to talk to me about random stuff like the mission we were assigned to, the medicine Orochimaru wanted us to make for him, and if the dosage was too much or too little. First off, you're also a medic ninja; you should know, idiot. And secondly, I know he was trying to piss me off so that I would attack him out of spite and get punished by Orochimaru for property damage and stuff then I would have to look at Sasuke thinking that I lost it. I couldn't help it, to be honest. Kabuto could be so annoying at times. Sometimes he just make me wanna…

"Are you lost, little girl?" A voice from behind snickered in glee.

Speaking of the devil himself.

"You know, you really should learn your way through here. Sure it's dark and long, but it gets annoying always guiding you. Seriously…" Kabuto sighed jokingly, placing his hands on his hips.

I looked over my shoulder to see the grey-headed four eyes standing there amused at my misfortune.

"What do you want, Kabuto?" I questioned hardly, hinting him that I was currently not in the mood to talk to him.

Like always, he could never take a hint.

"Nothing. Just wanted to say hi to a good old friend is all." He answered with that creepy smirk of his.

A good friend? Who were you kidding?

"You're wasting my time, four eyes." I grumbled.

His face then changed to a defensive frown. "Your time isn't the only one that matters, you know. Everything doesn't always involve around you."

There were times when my comments would offend him—whether if he allowed it or he was genuinely hurt. I could care less.

"And you think your time is just as valuable too?" I countered daringly as I turned my whole body around.

Kabuto raised his hand and softly waved it. "Calm down, Katsumi. I'm only here because Orochimaru wants to see you, but since he figured that you were lost, he asked me to take you to him."

"What does he need me for? I already did what he wanted me to do just now. Don't I deserve some type of break?" I asked in irritation.

I was actually tired and sore, to be honest, but we barely get breaks, which sucked a lot.

"I'm not certain myself. We should go and see for ourselves." He suggested as he cleared the way for me like he was being a "gentleman".

If he was really a gentleman, he would know that I don't know where the hell to go to find Orochimaru. I already had a hard time trying to find my bedroom.

"Oh, that's right. You have no clue where to go. Oh well, follow me then." He turned around and walked past me as his shoulder softly brushed mine.

Should I follow him or not? If I do, that meant spending more time with four eyes, and I really don't wanna spend another second with him. We already spent almost half the day in the medical lab making dosages and creating new healing techniques, and unfortunately for my case, I was never gonna get those hours back. But if I don't follow him, I would be all alone and I don't have a clue where to go. I don't really have a choice at this point, so I hurried myself to catch up to him just before I lost him in the dark hallways. It didn't take long for me to catch up to Kabuto as I walked side by side with him.

"You came to your senses and decided to follow me. I guess you trust me more than I thought, hm?" Kabuto mused as a grin crept on his tanned face.

I stayed silent because I don't want to deal with him at the moment. I was more concerned of what Orochimaru wanted from me this time. With him, he would want you to risk your well-being for him just to get what he wanted and no wasn't an option for him. I always wondered why I could've ran away when I had the chance, but I was always reminded by the fact that my brother was here and he wasn't going anywhere. I always wished that I could convince him to escape and we could finally live in peace, but that dream died. Sasuke wasn't the same Sasuke I once knew; he was somebody that I know nothing of.

I couldn't help thinking that someone was trying to get my attention.

"Katsumi!" I heard my name loudly and immediately turned my attention towards the person who called me, giving him an unpleasant look.

"I just wanted to let you know— if you're wondering — what Orochimaru wants from you isn't so big and risky." He blankly stated, ignoring my facial expression.

"Why is that?" I curiously asked him, wanting an answer.

"Just giving you the heads up is all." He answered nonchalantly as he looked ahead.

Does he know something that I don't? If he didn't, he couldn't have known what his master wanted wasn't a big thing.

"Then why won't you just tell me? It's kind of obvious that you know something about it." I inquired as I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

I waited for an answer from him. But all he did was glanced at me with an expressionless look in his eyes and said, "You'll only know from Lord Orochimaru."

That was really getting to me. It was funny that he would misbehave when he was around me, but would act like the server of a prince when around with Orochimaru. Not only that, Kabuto would tell me to show more respect to "Lord Orochimaru" because 1) you simply had to. And 2) I would end up like one of those suckers in prison for his experiments. That was something to laugh about because I highly doubt that would happen to me. First of all, Orochimaru was aware that the only reason why I was here in the first place was because of Sasuke, so he knew that I carry no respect for him; if he hurt Sasuke in anyway, I wouldn't hold back to rip his head off. Secondly, he made a deal with Sasuke that he would never touch or attack me in any particular way for his needs or else Sasuke would either kill him or take me away somewhere else and never look back. And lastly, I was simply not as gullible and weak as the rest of those prisoners. So I was safe so far. However I was hoping that Orochimaru would do something to me that Sasuke wouldn't like so we could pack up and leave. But Sasuke was determined to achieve his one and only goal. It was simply out of my hands.

"Here we are…" Kabuto suddenly announced quietly, standing in front of the fancy double doors.

He opened one of the doors and moved aside to make a way for me. "After you…" He offered with fake generosity.

Without any reply, I walked through the doorway and into the big room. I could easily hear my footsteps from a mile away as they echo across the entire space. With the echoes, I could tell that another pair of footsteps were following suit meaning that Kabuto was right behind me. I halted in front of a big, throne-like chair which one person was seated comfortably on it with a dangerous look in his eyes and a devouring grin on his pale white face. It was none other than Orochimaru. I couldn't help but look at the fact that he couldn't take his eyes off of me. The feeling was very awkward.

"So you've finally come, my dear. I thought for a second there that you declined my little invitation." Orochimaru mused in excitement as he licked his pale lips with that long tongue of his.

"My apologies, Lord Orochimaru. She was so lost in the lair that it took me a while to find her." Kabuto apologized respectively as he bowed his head.

Why was he apologizing for me anyway as if it was his fault? Four eyes was so fake, it wasn't even funny anymore.

"No matter, now that I have you here right now, I need you to do me a favor." He hummed as he played with a kunai knife between his fingers.

"What is it you need this time?" I asked in bore, cupping my hands on my hips.

He saw my annoyance with the situation I was facing as he chuckled lowly. "I simply want you to pack up some medicine and a first-aid kit that would last about a week." He said with that scary smile of his.

That offer really left me confused. Why does he want me to pack up some medicine and a first-aid kit for the week? Was he going on a long mission for his experiments? If that was the case, it would sort of make sense since he had more than one hideout. But the one thing I wouldn't take away from him was the fact he was incredibly strong. Plus he was "immortal", so it doesn't really add up as to why he needed this favor.

"Why do you specifically need me to do that? Why won't Kabuto do it since he has served you for God knows how long?" I asked carefully but hardly because I wasn't in the mood to piss off one of the Great Sanin.

I was taken aback when the sight of his grin disappeared in a second on the comment I just made. I wasn't sure what was going through his mind, but I knew he was no longer messing around. Apparently he really wanted me to do this.

"You're right, I could just ask Kabuto to do it for me. However, it isn't for me you see." He claimed with his smile returning to his face.

Now I was simply lost. If the kit wasn't for him, then who?

"It's for your older brother, Sasuke. He's going on a special mission for me and he would be gone for a while— a week at the most — and he doesn't trust Kabuto at all, knowing him. I would assume that he would only accept something that's from you." He briefly explained, clearing my curiosity.

So the kit was for Sasuke then. Made more sense.

"What is the mission?" I couldn't help but ask because I wanted to know the details and the possible dangers in it.

"Unfortunately, that remains as classified information, my dear. But don't worry, it's nothing dangerous that could kill him. Besides, Sasuke is much stronger than you could ever imagine." He hummed in glee as his tongue waved around as if it had a life of its own.

That was true, Sasuke was much stronger not only physically but also mentally. What was also true was that he doesn't trust Kabuto one bit even though he seemed to be okay when he was around. I guess it was a good enough reason to make me pack up the kit for Sasuke for a mission that was probably dangerous. I don't see a reason I should decline; it was for my brother's benefit.

"I will pack the medical kit for my brother as soon as possible." I accepted solidly.

Hearing that made Orochimaru's grin stretch wider. "I'm glad to hear that. You are now dismissed."

With a slight bow of the head, I headed for the door. I could already tell as I got closer to the exit that Kabuto was no longer following me. Probably stayed back for his beloved master. Whatever, I don't know what Orochimaru did that made four eyes stuck to his butt all year round. Once I made it out the door, I stood clueless; which way to the medical lab again? If I remembered correctly, Kabuto was in the lab before I bumped into him so I should go in the direction he came from. I hoped I didn't end up lost again because I had called for help more than I should. So I slid through the hallways carefully, trying to remember the directions four eyes went backwards to find the lab. As I walked through the darkness, my mind went off on its own and I did nothing to stop it.

 _It was about three years ago, the night that I would never forget. I was at home in the Village Hidden in the Leafs; the same village I had grown up in and learned to love with all my heart. Everything back then was so good; living with my older brother at our big apartment, two comrades that I had grown to love as siblings, a sensei that was literally the only father figure to me, and a job at the Village's Hospital that was more than enough to cover anything we needed and wanted. Everything was just perfect. Except for one thing. Today had been one of the most stressful days not only for me, but for the rest of Squad 7. Sasuke was in the hospital recovering from wounds he received in their last mission in which I wasn't apart of due to having an extra shift at the hospital. I don't know the full details but Sasuke completely lost it and challenged Naruto to a battle at the rooftop and knowing Naruto, he accepted. There wasn't really a winner to that match because Kakashi saved both of them from killing each other with their most powerful jutsu. I didn't even know what was going on at the time; Sakura was the source of this information I received since I was busy working after I was done checking in on Sasuke. Since then, Sasuke ran off to probably gather his thoughts. However it had been a while since then and I was starting to get worried. He would never leave me in the dark like this before all of this happened, but I also never seen him this agitated before. There was no telling if he was coming back._

 _But luckily for me, I was blessed at that very moment._

 _I heard the front door opened then closed, which made me jump a little because I was totally zoned out. I turned to see Sasuke walking through the living room with that monotone look on his face. Just from that I could tell he hadn't let go at all because he treaded past me as if I wasn't even there. He walked into his bedroom and slammed the door shut. This was completely off; I had never felt this anxious with Sasuke in a crappy mood before because he usually doesn't take out his anger on me. From experience, I know when Sasuke was this annoyed, my best strategy was to leave him be and let him calm down. But something was different about him right now. I wasn't too sure if he was really mad; he looked like he was more determined than frustrated. To me, it looked like he made up his mind on something and knowing him, when he put his mind on something, he wouldn't stop at nothing to get what he wanted. I felt the need to encounter him and demand to know what was wrong. Was it dangerous to do it at the state he was in? Yes, maybe. But I have to know what was going on._

 _With that I took a deep breath in and walked over to the room. I prepared myself for what was to come after the door was closed behind me. But just before I turned the doorknob, it magically turned on its own— which caused me to remove my hand in shock. The door slowly opened and revealed my monotone, blank, older brother. I looked down to see he was still in his home clothes I had given him to wear in the hospital, but I was curious at the fact that it was dirtied up a bit. I looked at his face and I could see a bruise on his cheek; it looked like he was punched hard. I could also see that he was exhausted for some reason, and I could detect his low level of chakra. Why was his chakra so low anyway? I wouldn't have been too surprised if it was because of that fight with Naruto earlier today, but that doesn't explain why his chakra was at a lower rate than it should be after the battle. Was he ambushed? Probably his anger got the best of him? I would never know at the state he was in. He never took his onyx eyes off of me since opening the door and it made me uncomfortable. I don't know why, but I felt intimidated. I shouldn't be, but I couldn't help it. It took years until I finally got the courage to speak._

" _Sorry for interrupting you, I was just checking up on you. You were gone for a long time and I was worried if you were coming back or not. Are you okay?" I asked meekly, not wanting him to get more exasperated than he already was._

 _Hearing that just made him blink as he blankly said, "I kind of knew that since I sensed your uneasy chakra flow."_

 _He didn't really sound angry at all. Maybe he calmed down in his bedroom, or he just maintained himself when he walked in. That was really quick since this was Sasuke we were talking about and it takes a while for him to calm down. Then, he opened the door a little more until I could see all of him. I glanced at his face and saw his head lowered as his bangs covered his eyes; not wanting eye contact._

" _And I should be the one apologizing. For not letting you know my whereabouts and leaving you in the dark; it's not fair for you. And I shouldn't have walked in ignoring you the whole time; that was not cool of me." He admitted lowly._

 _I wasn't mad at him at all. If anything, I was more worried about him than upset. But I couldn't help but feel that he wasn't being truly sincere. Maybe he was trying, but he wasn't being sincere since he avoided looking at me. He must have had a lot going on in his mind. I wonder what?_

" _Don't even mention it, Sasuke." I shrugged it off without difficulty._

 _I could tell he was tired and wanted time for himself, so I should leave him be. I could ask him more tomorrow over his favourite breakfast. That should do it._

" _Well, I'll leave you alone now. You must be tired, so I'll make you a cup of tea." I smiled as I pretended that nothing was wrong._

 _As I was about to turn towards the kitchen, a hand shot out in front of me and grabbed my shoulder. Confused, I turned back to see it was Sasuke's hand on my shoulder, squeezing it in a loving matter. At that moment, I felt like I was more in the dark than I was already. I couldn't help but think that it had something to do with the situation that caused him to be a bit bruised up. I was now lost._

" _Sasuke, what's going on? What's wrong?" I asked innocently, getting more concerned by the second._

" _I rarely ask you for big favours, and I don't really feel like it's the right thing, but…" He closed his eyes as he thought to himself deeply, probably having second thoughts._

 _Big favours? Doesn't feel right about it? How exactly big was the favour anyway?_

" _Come…" He demanded softly as he removed his hand from my shoulder and took my hand._

 _Sasuke gently pulled me into his room, dismissing my reaction. I really didn't know what to expect; he could pull out the craziest of things from that mind of his. He closed the door behind me and gave me a long, deep look. I didn't know what to do at that point because on one hand, I wanted to ask what was going on, but with that look he gave me I wasn't sure if I should. Something must've bothered him for him to be acting this way since he wasn't too sure how to handle it; he was making the situation more awkward than it should._

 _How big was this favor exactly?_

" _We are leaving tonight. I want you to pack up all of your stuff." He simply demanded, squeezing my hand even tighter._

 _I was taken off guard. Leaving? Now? Why? What was he talking about?_

" _W-What…? What do you mean?" I mumbled dumbfounded; I was so lost._

" _We can't stay in the Leaf anymore; it will never help us reach our true capabilities." He replied monotone as he narrowed his eyes, indicating me that he was dead serious about it._

 _So Sasuke wanted to leave the Hidden Leaf Village because he felt like he wasn't improving or getting stronger at all? That battle with Naruto really took a toll on him mentally… or emotionally. I wasn't sure; it was hard to predict him even though he was my brother. I also don't understand as to why leaving the village was gonna help him get stronger in anyway. And where exactly was he planning on going? Didn't he even thought this through properly?_

" _Wait, so you want to leave our home to get stronger? Why would you ever consider that, Sasuke?" I questioned hardly as I narrowed my eyes, showing him that I was serious._

 _Sasuke closed his eyes as he lowered his head. "I realized this after my match with Itachi; after when he said I was still too weak to ever match with him." He answered in a fuming tone, I could see him biting down his teeth solidly._

 _I understood where he was coming from, since I also faced Itachi after he knocked out Sasuke. But it was only because I knew he was after Naruto and because I knew the opportunity to kill our eldest sibling was too good for Sasuke. He still doesn't realize that the only result to that would be death on his part. However, he was taking this too far. I know what Itachi did was unforgivable and he should deserve every bit of hell this world could give him, but focusing on killing him someday wasn't worth it. I once felt the same way he did because our brother did things ten times worse to me than he did to Sasuke— not that it mattered —but I learned that it was all in the past and I don't want him to consume me for the rest of my life; it was about time for me to move on. Did I forgive him? Absolutely not. But should I go hunt him down and should my life be involved around him only? No. I had met amazing people that filled the hole in my heart, and having them and my brother was more than enough._

 _They were more of a family to me than my blood family._

 _But sadly, that wasn't enough for Sasuke. He still carried hatred for him and would do about anything to kill him. This was one of these things he was doing that would "improve" his abilities. I snapped back to reality when I noticed he activated his Sharingan and his eyes showed fierceness and determination._

" _This damned village is making me weak, and the people here don't have the slightest clue what true power really is. I'm an avenger, and I have to be the strongest no matter what. Even stronger than that loser, Naruto!" He seethed with a livid tone as his crimson eyes lit up the dimmed room._

 _I had never seen Sasuke this determined before, it was making me kind of nervous. I was normally never scared of Sasuke because I was used to his stubbornness and his monotonous attitude, but it was never like this before. He was still holding my hand and I was super scared that he might rip my arm off from hidden anger._

 _At this point, I felt like it was my responsibility to get the facts straight through his face, like the good sister I was. "Sasuke, I understand where you're coming from… but leaving the village is not the way to go. You can't let Itachi take control of your life; there's more to life than revenge. And who cares if Naruto is at the same level as you anyway, you also picked on him for being weak so you shouldn't be upset about it. Besides, where do you plan on going to if you leave the village anyway?"_

 _I could tell right away he didn't really like the things I said because he tossed my hand aside like it was pointless to him. I wasn't too concerned on how he felt about me because he was simply not being smart like usually was, and he should be given the cold hard facts. It doesn't matter if he accepted my thoughts or not, his decisions doesn't always have to matter._

" _See what I mean…" He grumbled. "This is what I'm talking about. These Leaf weaklings brainwashed you to make you think that friends and the village matter only, not power and strength. It's because they don't want you to be strong, Katsumi. They don't want you to achieve your goals in life; they don't want what's best for you. Unlike me. Unlike the others, I care about your well-being and want what's best for you. I know you want revenge and power just as much as I do."_

 _That wasn't true. That simply wasn't true. I loved the Leaf Village and the people living happily in it. They were like a family I never had. And they cared about me like I was one of them. The Leaf genin always welcomed me with opened arms and made me feel like I belonged. Sasuke doesn't know what he was talking about._

" _It's because I care about you, I want you to become stronger with me. So that's why we are leaving tonight so no one would know right away." He added with a slight softer tone than before._

" _We are going to Orochimaru…"_

 _Wait? Did he just said that we were going to Orochimaru? As in, we were joining sides with him? My answer was an absolute no. It was bad enough he was making me leave the village, but going to Orochimaru? That wasn't happening even if he forced me to come._

" _Sasuke, I'm not going to Orochimaru, and neither should you. He wants you for your body because he wants control of your Sharingan. And if you bring me with you, he could use me in his twisted experiments and use my medical ninjutsu for his immortal jutsu." I countered hardly as gave him a narrowed but soft look._

 _Sasuke said nothing after that. I don't know if it was because he was annoyed with my stubbornness or because he finally realized what he was trying to do. Hopefully he does because I know the one thing he would never want was to endanger his sister, the only blood family he had that he cared deeply._

" _If you take me along with you, there's no doubt that snake would do something to me…"_

" _I'm aware of that, but I'm certain he won't. I know he wants my body and my Sharingan, but he knows he won't dare to touch you for his disturbing reasons if he wants me. I'll make sure that goes through his head just to make my point clear for your safety…" He reasoned emotionlessly._

 _That was true, but that doesn't change the fact that I disagree with his plan._

" _But, Sasuke… I don't want to leave the village, and I don't want to leave my friends and my boyfriend here just for power." I muttered shyly, worried that he would be angry. "If we leave, we'll be considered rogue ninja and we'll never be allowed to come back…"_

" _As long as we get power, I don't care what the village would do. And Orochimaru wanting me for my body, it doesn't matter to me as long as I get what I want. I could finally achieve my goal, if you just join me." He commented darkly, disregarding what I just said._

" _But…"_

" _You decide… this bounding village with so-called ninja running around in it… or your flesh and blood…" He finalized harshly, giving me his death glare._

 _I honestly felt that even though he gave me an option, there was only one choice. I didn't know what to do because I would do anything for my brother, but something like this was out of my reach. He had to know that I absolutely hated Orochimaru and that backstabbing Kabuto, and I don't want to leave my home and my friends. He had to understand my feelings towards all of this. But the problem was that Sasuke was very stubborn, and he was really serious about abandoning the Leaf; if I don't go, he would probably leave without me. That I don't want because I don't ever want to lose someone precious to me even though they go against what I believe in._

 _I thought about it and I came to this conclusion: I couldn't let my brother leave without me, I would miss him so much._

" _If you honestly think this would benefit us, Sasuke… then fine. I'll go with you." I caved in frustration, knowing that I might regret it later._

 _Normally when I said yes, his face would light up from joy. But instead, his face soften from his previous look as he deactivated his Sharingan. That was enough to tell me that he liked my answer very much and he no longer had to persuade me._

" _Thank you, sis…" He breathed gently as the weight on his shoulders were released from him._

" _But I'm warning you, if that disgusting snake ever were to touch me in any way that makes me feel uncomfortable or if he backstabs us, don't try and stop me from leaving the second I get that chance…" I warned him seriously because I was literally turning my back on my home and friends._

 _Unexpectedly, Sasuke pulled me in for a hug. That came out of nowhere considering the situation I just faced. "I swear… nothing will happen to you… I'll make sure of that…" He muttered softly in my ear as he tightened his grip on me._

 _I had no choice but to hug him because I had to be honest, I loved his hugs since we were kids. I don't know why but he made me feel comfortable in his arms._

" _Just let me go and pack up my things, okay?" I said softly, feeling like I wasn't thinking straight._

" _Yeah, sure. Do you need a hand?" He offered curiously, acting all nice all of a sudden._

" _No, I can manage…" I answered as I waved my hand dismissively._

 _I walked towards the door to exit out his room, until his voice stopped me from leaving his room. "Are you sure you're okay with this? Y-You know making you do something that's uncomfortable for you is the last thing I want…"_

 _He might have said that, but the look on his face said the complete opposite._

" _Why wouldn't I be? It doesn't matter if I feel right about this plan… your safety is my top priority…" I shrugged nonchalantly as I glanced over my shoulder._

 _After that, Sasuke gave me a nod that told me I could leave to get ready. I slid over to my room as I let myself get lost to my own thoughts. A lot was riding on this leave but the one thing still bugged me; something that made me feel sick to my stomach._

' _What will everyone think about me abandoning them… my friends? I hope they'll understand that I feel twice as bad for doing this.' I thought deeply, fighting off tears building up in my eyes._

 _It wasn't long until I packed all of the necessities I needed for this long-term trip. I noticed my long mirror hanging across the room. I blindly walked over to it and gazed at my reflection. I could see a tears desperately wanting to fall down my cheek, and I had no choice but to allow. Then, my mind decided to bring an image of Squad 7 happily smiling without a care in the world; even Sasuke himself allowed a small grin to creep on his face._

' _I'm sorry, Sakura… Kakashi-sensei… Naruto…'_

* * *

 **Hoped you liked the first chapter. I'll see you soon. Oh, and I almost forgot, I don't own any of the characters, storyline or anything except for my customized character, Katsumi Uchiha. Oh by the way, the second chapter won't be posted as soon as I hoped. It all depends on time and the success of this chapter, so keep your fingers crossed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm back with another chapter. Hope you're liking it so far because the story is just beginning.**

 **I don't own the characters, plot, and etc. expect for the character, Katsumi Uchiha. And description/appearances of the characters are from Narutopedia, just to let you know.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Broken Family**

I was in the medical lab, preparing the kit for Sasuke. In all honesty, I thought I would never be able to find the lab if it wasn't for Kabuto. Not intentionally though. Kabuto seriously should draw out a map of the lair for me someday because I was getting sick and tired of my heart skipping a beat when I had to choose which direction I should go. I have no clue why Orochimaru thought it was remotely wise to build lairs that had long dark tunnels when he already had a couple of other lairs in different locations that were far away from each other. I got it, he was the top ninja in the bingo books but seriously, how many steps ahead does he have to be from his enemies? I wouldn't predict when, but the day would come when a group of shinobi sneaked into his lair and tear it down from the inside.

Orochimaru may be a genius, but that doesn't make his enemies stupid at all.

I placed the finishing touches on the kit, making sure it had absolutely everything Sasuke needed for this mission, just in case he got injured. It wasn't like I don't trust his judgement, I believe it was better to be safe than sorry. Once I was satisfied with the kit, I carefully picked it up and marched towards the door. Like I mentioned before, I was horrible making my way through the hallways. But for some reason, I knew exactly where the entrance/exit was. How ironic. I figured that Sasuke knew I was preparing a medic kit for him, so he was probably waiting for me at the door. It was actually kind of weird, actually seeing him. It might sound sad, but I hadn't seen Sasuke since last week and it was only because I was lost in the hallways trying to find the bathroom and I bumped into him. He figured I was in need of a restroom at this sort of time— he knew me so well it was freaky. I know I don't really see him that much because he ate, slept, and breathed training on his spare time. I sometimes wished he would make time for me because it looked like he cared more about getting stronger than me. But that was the way he was; he would act like one thing was more important than the other, when really it was the exact opposite.

Don't get me wrong about training, I too believe training was very important. But the thing was, there wasn't really anything that needed training for me. I did obtain new tips and techniques on medical ninjutsu from Kabuto— which was surprising since I thought I knew everything about medical ninjutsu. I was stunned myself that I even allowed four eyes to teach me a thing or two on my favourite ninja subject. However in the first year of living in the hideout, Orochimaru trained both Sasuke and I how to fully control our powerful curse marks. Sasuke had the Heaven Curse Mark while I had the Earth Curse Mark. But since I never really used my Curse Mark before, my training was longer and more intense than Sasuke's since he already had some control over it. Orochimaru taught me how to use its power without it eating your insides completely and how to evolve my Curse Mark from a level one to a level two, which was felt like a demon was stabbing me constantly. Long story short, I had to go through the same process as Sasuke did when we were taken to Orochimaru by the Sound Four. The reason why I couldn't evolve my curse mark then because it took a long time for the process to be completed and there wasn't enough time to do it for me then, Sasuke offered to go first for my safety and making sure we weren't set up, he wanted Sasuke to have as much power within little time, and because at the time Orochimaru wasn't given the permission to do it on me because Sasuke claimed it was "too dangerous" for someone "my age".

It didn't matter regardless, because I could honestly say that I was stronger than I ever thought I was before. I couldn't believe it, but Kabuto and Orochimaru taught me a lot of good stuff. However, Sasuke was on a whole different level than I was; for the first time, he was stronger than me. Not by a lot though because if we were to battle, it would be a close win I presumed. Sasuke believed the work he was putting in was really paying off and he didn't want to stop there; he just wanted to get stronger and stronger and he wouldn't stop until he was invincible. On the other hand, I was taught everything I needed to know so my training was basically completed.

I halted my steps when I finally reached the door to freedom. It wasn't even a moment later when I heard footsteps coming closer to where I was in the hallways. I instantly knew who was coming and I didn't bother looking over my shoulder to see until I could visibly see that person. It was none other than my older, stubborn brother Sasuke.

Sasuke changed a lot since his years in the Leaf Village. For starters, he grew so tall in height; I would be in awe every time I saw him. He wore dark blue pants, over which hung a blue cloth that covered him from his stomach to his knees which was secured tightly with a purple rope belt; this specific accessory was commonly worn on most of Orochimaru's henchmen. He initially complemented this with a white long-sleeved shirt kept open at the torso and black arm guards that cover his forearms. I wasn't gonna lie, he looked pretty badass but for some reason, I felt iffy on the belt. Correct me if I was wrong, but that belt sort of said that I was allies or I carry respect for one of the Legendary Sanin who was basically a snake. That I don't feel comfortable with, but then again he doesn't really like Orochimaru to begin with and I highly doubted he respected him either.

This was a habit of his which was in need to be changed.

I snapped out of my thoughts about my brother when said brother stood in front of me in a waiting matter. Being monotone and stoic, Sasuke normally gave people a displeasing look to show that he would rather shed his own skin with his sword he now had as a go-to weapon then converse with anyone; not that he was a hater, he wasn't a people person and he simply didn't care about almost anything. But with me, I could never know. There would be times when he wouldn't give me a dark look like he does with other people but he wouldn't give me a welcoming expression either, he would just stand there blank-faced. I don't take it personally because that was how he simply was; if anything I should be honored. His expression towards me was in between and the only times he would act remotely smug was when he had to do something for Orochimaru and he wasn't able to go around it. I wouldn't say he wasn't the same person, but I also wouldn't say vise-versa either.

I didn't realize my constant need to zone out was making him wait even longer until he cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry about that… just… just making sure I didn't forget anything for that kit you needed…" I apologized broadly, trying my hardest to not sound sheepish about the situation I was facing.

Sasuke simply blinked on my apology, then he held out his hand. "It's not like it's gonna make a difference, anyway…" He simply implied with an expressionless tone.

That was true. Like I said earlier, he was much stronger than before.

"Of course, you're ten times stronger than you were before we came to Orochimaru…" I agreed with a smirk as I kindly handed him the bag.

He then gave me his signature 'hmph' as he placed the kit in his long-sleeved shirt, indicating me that he liked that statement I made about him. Even though he was now very distant and spacious towards me, I always counted on him to show a bit of gratitude he carried for me no matter what. Even the long looks he sneaked, I knew he was trying to say he appreciated me as a sister.

"So, what's the mission Orochimaru assigned to you anyway?" I asked curiously; I genuinely wanted to know about the mission.

"I can't say… Orochimaru wants the details left unsaid…" He answered straightforwardly.

Even my own brother wouldn't say a thing about the mission. How big and important was that mission anyway?

"Alright, sorry for asking…" I sighed bleakly. "I don't wanna keep you here for long, so you should be heading out now…"

With a slight nod for thanks, Sasuke smoothly slid past me as his shoulder slightly brushed mine, giving me the slight chills. I don't know why, but almost every time I was around him, the surroundings' temperature fell instantly. I stood there very still, not knowing what to do now since I had just finished the last thing Orochimaru wanted me to do for today. It was ironic since I complained about not getting time for myself to Kabuto earlier and yet my mind drew a blank on what should I do for the spare time I now had.

"Katsumi…" I slightly jumped by the voice who called my name so suddenly.

I glanced over my shoulder and my eyes caught on Sasuke, which was a surprise to me because I thought he was long gone the moment after he walked past me; I didn't even sense his chakra there. He was that good. Though he never stepped out of the lair, his back was facing me; he probably thought he no longer needed me until the very last second. What does he want from me now? I wasn't sure because I could no longer read or know from his eyes what he wanted; he hated the fact that he was predictable to me and he couldn't stand me reading him any longer. Now that he trained himself to truly hide his feelings and learned how to immune his emotions, I was just as clueless as the rest of them.

Not knowing this just made me nervous; he could say anything and it would take me off guard.

"Watch yourself while I'm gone. And always keep your guard up around Orochimaru and Kabuto… I'm still not comfortable to trust them with you alone." He advised softly as his voice seemed to hint a bit of affection.

Did the great Sasuke Uchiha finally showed his concern for me? I don't know because I could've mistaken that for a warning, which he normally gave to others to let them know to never underestimate anything.

I was stunned to see said person glaring at me over his shoulder with his Sharingan blazing in crimson red. "Let me know if my help is needed…" He breathed lowly.

I stood there simply in awe; he slipped a bit of concern of me which he hadn't showed for over two years.

I took it all in as I slightly bowed my head to him. "I will, Sasuke…"

He nodded at my response then he turned his head away from me. The next thing I knew, he disappeared in a flash. I forgot that his speed was incredible since I wasn't that fast myself. However my skills was higher than Sasuke and I could say that since he admitted that a while ago, though he didn't seem to care that much about it.

Now that I had completed my last errand of the day, I had no clue what to do. I would hang around Sasuke but he just left for a mission; no matter since I barely do that now ever since he changed. Then there was Kabuto, and I stopped myself from gagging. It wasn't because I found him disgusting, he was simply so irritating and obnoxious. It boggled my mind that people in my old village thought that Naruto was the most annoying person on the planet; to them I would laugh at their faces. I mean, maybe Naruto was annoying but I was born with great patience, so he doesn't really phase me at all. To me, he was a cute, clueless, innocent boy that I held near and dear to my heart. I couldn't help it; he was one of the bright spots of my life.

Just the thought of him made me miss him much more. I always wished I could tell him face to face that I never meant him to go through what he did when Sasuke and I left; it was just not fair for him.

As I was saying, hanging around Kabuto would never be my first choice at all. Nothing personal, but I didn't like him. In fact, being unbearable wasn't the only reason why I despised him. The moment my brother and I arrived at Orochimaru's hideout, I saw a glimpse of four eyes and I didn't know what to think. At first I thought he too decided to join forces with the snake, but that wasn't the case at all. Long story short, it turned out the jerk went undercover as a Leaf genin to gain information on me and Sasuke, which made me livid. When my team obtained both the Earth and Heaven Scrolls, I realized that he wasn't a jerk after he saved me from the enemy; I felt bad for how I treated him and I wanted to make things right so I proposed a friendship to him, which he happily accepted. I wished I knew that smile he gave me as he accepted my friendship was a fake. When I saw him in the lair, he knew he backstabbed and betrayed me but he acted as if nothing had happened. Since then, I found him revolting.

After that long thought of things I could possibly do on my spare time, I realized I was still standing in the exact same spot like a lost child. I finally chose to go to my bedroom and find a way to past the time. It took me almost ten minutes to locate my bedroom. The room was sort of like the dark long hallways of the hideout except it was lit by a candle on the desk— which stood across the room – and another on the nightstand next to my bed. A mirror stood near the closer and I blindly moved myself towards it. I gazed at my reflection deeply as I took in how much I had changed throughout the years I had been here. My soft, raven hair grew all the way down to my waist which was left straight instead of a high ponytail like I used to put it. My bangs grew out and I let them hung on the sides of my face, cropping my face. I wore a cropped black, short-sleeved hoodie with a net shirt under it covering my stomach. I also wore black shorts that reach to my upper thighs with long high thigh boots that had small heels on each boot. To top it all off, I wore black gloves though sometimes I would switch them to the fingerless gloves.

I felt like taking a shower and changing into something that was more comfortable so I got my folded towels and headed into my personal bathroom. It was never there when I settled in but since I had so much trouble finding the bathroom in the lair, Orochimaru got his henchmen to build a personal bathroom in my bedroom for me, which was really helpful in my case. But I knew he wouldn't simply offered it to anyone else; he knew Sasuke wouldn't see eye-to-eye at all with him and he wanted to start on the right foot with the boy. That, in which, didn't happen.

Or it did, depending how it was viewed.

* * *

Once I was done with my shower, I stepped out dripping wet with a big towel wrapped around my body and another towel around my head. I allowed myself to sit there for a short while for my body to dry, then changed into a pair of grey track pants and a white tank top. Satisfied of my comfortable appearance, I headed back to the bathroom to fetch my paddle brush. As I stood in front of my mirror, I began to comb out the tangles in my long, dark hair. I used to comb my hair in the shower, but it took a lot of energy since I grew it out so long and I simply had no patience for it anymore. I was struggling on one particular tangle that my comb couldn't brush through, when suddenly I heard a knock on my door. I checked the time that hung on the wall and it said it was half past ten. Why at this time this person was in need of me? I hoped as I let my brush hung from my hair hopelessly that whoever it was, they would get the message that I wasn't available and go away. But no, the knocking continued. I could simply just ignore it, but by the looks of it— and the sound of it – that person was persistent and wasn't going to leave.

I had enough.

I huffed in frustration and marched my way to the door, and I opened it. At that very moment, I regretted ever opening this damned door. And I was mad at myself because I could've simply use basic sensory jutsu to determine the knocker by their chakra.

There, standing at the door was the last person I wanted to see, especially at this time.

"What do you want, Kabuto?" I seethed in question, giving him a deadly glare.

My current mood wasn't the mood to be bothered with yet four eyes doesn't give any type of damn.

He simply smirked at my question. "Gee, someone's in a bad mood…" He mused mockingly as he adjusted his glasses.

Would it make me a bad person if I break them? Because the temptation was sky high right now.

"I don't have time to deal with your crap, four eyes. You already bothered me enough for today, now go away!" I snapped and attempted to close the door.

But it failed because he halted the door from slamming in front of his face with his hand. I noticed this and I opened the door again, this time with an even deadlier stare.

"Hold on princess, I did not come here to bother you." He commented smugly with his fake smile; he wasn't even phased that I tried to slam the door on him without warning.

"Then what, four eyes!? I'm busy at the moment!" I hissed harshly due to his appearance and the fact that the comb stuck in my hair started to bug me.

"May I come in?" He suddenly asked, ignoring my anger.

Anger instantly turned into confusion; the heck?

I gathered my emotions, and I placed a hard look on my face. "Why?" I questioned demandingly.

"You just said you were busy…" He answered, then he pointed at my head. "And I could see why…" He added with a blank look on his face.

I glanced at where his finger was pointing, and I knew he was referring to the comb in my hair. I went on to thinking about the reason why I allowed my hair to grow this long.

"Get to the point…" I ordered impatiently.

For some reason, he chuckled at my misfortune. "I figured I should lend you a hand…"

That was a shock; Kabuto wanted to help me? As in assist me to achieve what needed to be done? Who was he kidding?

"Stop wasting my time with your lies, I'm done with them…" I was then prepared to shut the door again.

But he sensed that and held the door wide open, preventing me from ever trying again. I was in shock that he had this much strength.

"I'm serious. And honestly, you actually need it…" He advised as he scanned the situation which was my hair knot.

"The hell!? You don't know that!" I refuted exasperatedly as I moved my head away from him.

If he knew what was best for him, he would stay far away from me.

Dismissing my rebellion, he reached over and tapped the glued comb. "Well actually I do…" He countered calmly as he then gripped the handle and tried wiggled the comb.

That caused me to gasp in pain. I shot him a look, hinting him that it hurt a bit.

"For starters, it seems to me that the comb is very well stuck in the knot. If you tried to brush with force any longer, you could severely rip a bunch of hair from your scalp which isn't exactly good for both the hair follicles and scalp. That could result a permanent bald spot." He implied, his hand still remained gripping on the handle.

It didn't matter to me anymore; I was petrified by the vision of having a huge bald spot.

"One way is to simply cut it, but considering how long your hair is and the fact it's the part of the hair where it could be seen by anyone, you might have a small horrible patch of hair sticking out. I doubt you'd want that…" He added briefly as he cocked his head to the side.

Just the sound of that sounded scary enough. But still, since when he became a hair genius?

Honestly, it shouldn't matter right now because I just want to get this comb out of my hair and detangle it so I could sleep in peace. But for that to happen, I had to let the nerd help me, which I don't.

"Okay, _genius_ … then what do you suggest I do?" I sarcastically asked as I placed one hand on my waist impatiently.

Kabuto said nothing as he slipped his hand behind his back, causing me to wince in caution. I examined his face, telling me he wasn't trying anything funny and smoothly pulled out a bottle of substance. I gazed harder at the bottle to see what it was; I assumed it was hair cream of some sort.

"What is that?" I asked curiously, slightly intrigued with the object.

"It's a special hair cream I made by mixing herbs and natural nutrients for detangling hair. I made sure the formula works gently on the hair for easy combing without damaging the hair in the process." He informed as he held up the bottle for me to see it myself.

I was in shock; I didn't know he could made hair products by scratch. I was quite impressed in fact.

"How do even you know it works?" I questioned solidly, already doubting the product.

"It's been experimented, so no worries…" He shrugged.

"How do I know you're not messing with me? It could be hair removal for all I know…" I commented rebelliously.

He smiled at my comment. "Trust me, that's something I wouldn't do because that would be crossing the line. I actually value my life…"

I raised one eyebrow on his judgement; I still don't know if I should use it.

"You can decline if you want, but that would mean bad hair days for a long time…" He hummed with his signature smirk of his.

Now that he was rubbing it in my face, it was enough for me to jump ahead. I guess I had no choice.

I groaned loudly. "Fine, I'll use it! Hand it over!" I ordered as I reached over to take the bottle.

I was about to grab the cream but Kabuto swiftly pulled it away from my reach. I glared up at him and reach as far I could again but he held the bottle far away from me.

He tsked in disappointment. "I thought you knew some manners, being an Uchiha…"

"Give it to me, four eyes!" I ordered in annoyance, my patiently was decreasing drastically.

"Not without some manners out of you." He scolded me as if I was a child.

I growled within my teeth, containing my anger the best I could. I needed that cream right now.

Kabuto was basically torturing me, and it wasn't fun at all.

Finally, I gave in. "Please…" I muttered.

"For what exactly?" He questioned as he raised his eyebrows.

I could've sworn a huge nerve was bulging out of my forehead. "May I please use that hair cream of yours?" I asked politely as I rolled my eyes.

The damn nerd smiled at me in satisfaction. "Sure you can… but on one condition…" He quickly added.

"Dammit, four eyes! What else do you want from me!?" I spat in irritation.

"You have to let me inside your room and apply this on your hair myself." He stated, referring to the cream.

That was it? What else, my first born child?

"Forget it." I grumbled, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Fine, then forget the hair cream…" He countered as he shrugged his shoulders.

But that cream was the only way to solve my hair problem, and it was too late to find any other solution. But at the same time, I don't want four eyes in my room for many reasons. And to be honest, he might not walk out in one piece.

Regardless of him as a whole, I had to put my feelings aside and get it over with. That was what I learned from Sasuke, and it worked like a breeze a bunch of times.

With one last groan, I hesitantly agreed.

"Fine…" I said nothing more and immediately walked back into my room.

Kabuto invited himself in and closed the door. He turned around and examined his new surroundings then laid his eyes on me. I stood there waiting with my hands on my hips, counting the seconds to maintain patience. He took his gaze off of me and eyed the chair on his right.

"Grab that chair, please." He said as he pointed towards it.

Without saying a word, I slid my feet towards the wooden chair and placed it near my bed. I sat myself down, getting myself comfortable as I heard Kabuto's footsteps coming closer towards where I was sitting. I placed my hands on my lap flatly and straightened my posture, letting him know he could start. He started applying the cream on my hair gently and I sat there absolutely uncomfortable. I could feel him trying to remove the comb from my hair and I knew he tried his best not to hurt me; he was simply doing a bad job at it.

"Ow! The hell, that hurts! Kabuto, stop it!" I yelped as I clenched my fists.

"I know it hurts. I'm trying to remove the comb using the cream, but the knot seems to be nested in the bristles." He grunted on his commented, gritting his teeth. "Damn, it's really stuck in there…"

I knew my hairbrush was stuck in the knot, but I never thought it was this bad; I was a bit glad I allowed Kabuto to help me because this would've taken me all night to fix it.

It took forever, but four eyes was finally able to detangle my hair enough for my brush to be removed from my hair. He used it to delicately brush through my hair until he came in no contact with any other knots. To my surprise, I felt him sectioning my hair into even parts then started braiding my hair.

Why the hell was he braiding my hair? I never brought up the need to braid my hair, if I remembered correctly.

Regardless, I remained quiet until he finished braiding my hair. He walked over to my dresser and came back to give me my mirror. I briefly looked at the current state of my hair, realizing that I didn't really hate it as much I thought I would. Kabuto made a simply low braid leaving my bangs hanging, cropping my face like they did usually.

"You like it?" He merely asked without filter, waiting for my response and/or preparing for a hurtful comment.

"I didn't ask you to braid my hair, four eyes." I frowned suspiciously, looking over my shoulder at him as he towered over me.

"I know. But I figured I might as well braid your hair for you; we don't want you stuck in a knot again, now would we?" He mused in entertainment, smirking down at me.

Weirdo.

"Whatever, this will do for tonight…" I sighed tiredly as I turned my attention back at the mirror I held in front of me.

I could feel Kabuto smirking at my comment; he might have felt relieved that I didn't insult him this time. I would have but I was tired and it had been a long day.

"Well, looks like my job here is done so I should probably take my leave now…" He said as he took his hair cream and started walking towards my bedroom door.

I simply stood there, not saying anything. Four eyes suddenly paused and gazed over my shoulder, which took my kind of off guard.

"Goodnight, Katsumi…" He gently said, gripping the doorknob.

I kept quiet on his sentence; if I said something, that would end up in a conversation and it was too late to have patience for that.

Seeing that I wasn't gonna say anything, he opened the door and left the next moment. I was now the only one standing in the middle of the dark room. I gave out a long yawn, notifying me that I should really get some sleep. I settled myself in my bed covers and blew out the candle sitting next to my bed on the nightstand. I laid there with thoughts running through my head and that didn't help me get through the sleeping process. I opened my eyes to see only a charm bracelet around my wrist that was given by Sasuke when we were kids. He knew that I loved things that symbolized something significant to me and relate, so he gave me this gift and told me to collect charms that represented something important to me or something that would help me to never forget something. I took this seriously and collected charms to fill the charm bracelet. I couldn't take my eyes off of one specific charm; a charm of the Uchiha clan's symbol. I received this charm from Itachi when we were all young and happy. I was meaning to remove it after he murdered our whole clan, but I just never seemed to remember. Plus, I strongly believe it shouldn't only symbolized my oldest brother; it could represent a lot of things. But even if I tried, the thought of this charm was given by a traitor who was sadly my brother was too hard to resist.

I didn't t remember the last thought I had relating to this because the next thing I knew, I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if this was a bore, but I was too busy with other stuff. Anyway, I'll see you guys later in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the third chapter, guys! Hope you'll like it! I made sure it was long to make up for not posting as soon as I hoped.**

 **I don't own anything except for my character, Katsumi Uchiha.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Present Stuck With Past Memories**

I woke up the next morning by the sound of my alarm clock. I attempted pressing the snooze button to shut the thing up, but it took a solid two minutes until my hand found it and slammed it immediately. I laid there groggy and weak, not wanting to get out of bed. I could just sleep for "five more minutes", but then I would have four eyes being all up on my ass for oversleeping, and I couldn't sleep just for five minutes.

Who does anyway?

I slowly crawled out of my bed and made my way to the bathroom, walking as slow as a zombie. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I stepped out of the bathroom and went over to my mirror as I examined my hair. The braid Kabuto did wasn't as bad as I thought when I looked at it; I might've thought that at first only because I didn't want him to get the satisfaction. I wasn't sure if I should just leave it as it was, or unbraid it and style it the way I usually do. But I didn't think of a reason why I should; I was pretty sure today was my day off, meaning no errands or missions for me. Unless there was something last minute Orochimaru wanted, but other than that, there's nothing to do. I decided to leave the braid since it didn't look bad, and I wasn't trying to impress anyone.

I left my room and headed towards the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. It wasn't too far from my bedroom; it was just down the hall from it, so it was easy to find. It took no time for me to find the kitchen which was good since I was kind of hungry. I looked through the cabinets to find a pan to cook with. I was in the mood to have waffles, eggs and bacon for breakfast; it wasn't the type of food I always ate as a kid, but it was sort of a guilty pleasure. I took the eggs out of the fridge and easily crack them into a bowl. I stir them up then I carefully poured it in the pan as I heard the sizzle from the pan. Placing the bowl and mixer into the sink, I took out bacon strips and placed them in another pan next to the pan of eggs. After I quickly scrambled the eggs, I turned my attention to making the waffles. I made the batter and poured it in the waffle maker. I might be a slim girl, but I have quite the appetite. Sakura would tell me— in the nicest way possible – to not eat so much or else I would gain weight. I knew that would unlikely happen because my metabolism was as fast as a humming bird; I bet I could eat a whole buffet and nothing would happen.

I was so into the processing of making breakfast, I didn't realize someone walked into the kitchen.

"You look like you're in a good mood…" A voice commented behind me, almost causing me to drop a piece of bacon I was about to flip.

I rotated my head and glanced over to see Kabuto standing there at the entrance. He was leaning on the wall with his arms folded, smirking at the sight he was seeing. I couldn't help but slightly blush, until I realized he looked a bit different than usual. For example, he wasn't wearing his glasses like he usually does; he might've woken up just now and he decided to get some food before getting himself ready for the day. But I remembered that four eyes would be screwed without his glasses; his eyesight was horrible without his glasses, like it was close to blindness. Then again, he was used to all of Orochimaru's dark long lairs and he knew where to go from the back of his hand. What was also different was the fact that his hair wasn't in a low ponytail like it was normally left it. Again, he must've woken up just now and wanted to get some food first.

But it all honesty, he doesn't look as nerdy as I thought without his glasses and ponytail.

I briefly gave four eyes a soft glare and went back to making breakfast. I heard him sigh and sat himself down at the small dining table. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth again.

"That's quite a lot of food for someone like you this early, don't you think?" He analyzed as he examined what was happening on the stove from afar.

I snapped my eyes towards him. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I don't eat as much as you men do. I happen to have quite the appetite…" I implied hardly.

"You're not wrong there…" He snorted in agreement, realizing his head on his hand.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned deadly, sharpening my glare at him.

Kabuto knew instantly that I had interpret it the wrong way. "I didn't mean it like that, Katsumi…" He attempted to redeem his words to not feel my wrath.

I simply rolled my eyes. "Whatever, just forget it…" I sighed dismissively as I turned back to cooking.

Sighing in relief, four eyes placed himself in a comfortable position and closed his eyes, thinking deeply to himself when I held the plate of food in my hand. I carefully placed it in front of him, not wanting to interrupt him from him visiting his little La-La Land. I clearly failed since he snapped his eyes open by the sound of the plate being placed on the table. I swiftly turned my body just before he took in what was in front of him. I knew at any second he would ask, so I beat him to it.

"Eat up…" I muttered lowly but loud enough for him to hear.

Four eyes blinked a couple of times, either realizing what I had done or he simply couldn't see because he was still blind as a bat.

"You made this for me…" He stated obliviously, looking down at the food I prepared.

"No… it's actually for my invisible friend…" I answered with sarcasm wrapped around my sentence, preparing a plate for myself.

"Of COURSE, it's for _you…!_ " I snapped at his stupidity.

"Why, exactly?" He questioned demandingly, sounding serious for once.

I simply shrugged my shoulders. "If I didn't, then I would be stuck with you in an awkward situation with me eating right in front of you; that would be really weird for the both of us. Secondly, you would bother me all day for leaving you to 'starve' and even if I didn't, you would end up making a mess, in which I would have to be the one to clean up. Plus you were right, there was a lot of food, too much for me in fact at this time." I replied blandly.

Kabuto remained sitting there quietly as I could feel his eyes narrowing at me; my guess was that he didn't really believe it was the whole truth.

"And I had to thank you in some way…" I muttered, lowering my head as I prepared my plate. "For yesterday…"

One of the things I hated the most was giving the people— mostly those who I don't necessarily like –the satisfaction of anything, and that was what I gave to four eyes seeing the smirk on his face.

"You're welcome…" He smirked brightly, which made my skin crawl despite the fact I wasn't even looking at him.

"Will you just eat before the food gets cold!?" I grumbled exasperatedly as I poured two glasses of orange juice.

Why was I giving him stuff when he never even asked? What the hell was wrong with me? Did I appreciate for what he did for me more than I thought I did?

Shaking that thought off, I walked over to the same table Kabuto sat and placed my breakfast on the table, then walked over to the counter where the cups of orange juice laid. I sat myself down with my orange juice and placed the other near four eyes who nodded in thanks as he chewed his food. I could see he enjoyed the food I made for him because he couldn't take his attention off of the plate. That gave me a good warm feeling in my chest. Why the hell was that? Just why? I examined him carefully; the way he ate, the way he swallowed, the way he gracefully took a sip of juice, everything. That was weird because it just made me look like a creep. But on my defense, people were always so fascinating to me; I wanted to see why the Ninja World was a crazy place with all its shinobi killing one another.

"Katsumi!" A loud voice called near me, which made me jump a bit.

"What?" I frowned in annoyance, narrowing my eyes at him.

Kabuto seemed kind of defensive by the look on his face. "I was trying to tell you to stop staring at me, it's making me both irritated and uncomfortable." He stated warily, frowning at my reaction and possibly the reason why I was staring at him.

I wasn't gonna give him anymore satisfaction. "Well, my bad." I huffed as I glanced away.

In my mind, I hoped he wouldn't question my off behaviour and force me to explain myself. Luckily he did exactly that.

"Anyway, I noticed this as you were making breakfast, that you still have your hair in that braid I did for you last night." He analyzed briefly, going off on a new topic.

I lifted my gaze at him as I chewed on a piece of bacon. "Yeah, so? What about it?" I inquired in between chews.

He shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of orange juice. "I'm simply curious as to why you kept it like that when you could've at least unbraid it." He explained and took a piece of waffle and chewed it.

I ate some of the scrambled eggs from my plate. "To be honest, I don't know why myself. I guess it's because I don't really have anything to do in the morning and I see no point to get myself ready when there's nothing to get ready for." I justified the best I could.

Four eyes made a face that told me he understood my logic and went back to eating. We sat there in silence, enjoying our breakfast and the peace and quiet. I cleared my plate first and glanced at Kabuto's plate, which was almost, but not done. I was going to clear the table until a tanned hand grabbed my wrist, preventing me from leaving the table. I turned to see four eyes looking up at me as he strongly held my wrist, and I had no clue why.

I gave him a hard and questioning look. "What?"

"Don't bother cleaning up, I'll take care of it…" He explained curtly.

I cocked my head to the side, not comprehending why he would offer to help… again.

He sighed and released his grip on my wrist. "It's only fair since you took the time to make me breakfast, which I find considerate of you…" He specified softly as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Hearing that just made me blink, my mind was blank. I didn't know what to think, but I know what he said to me made me feel awkward.

"Okay, whatever you say. Didn't have to make it seem like it's a big deal…" I muttered awkwardly, placing my plate back on the table.

Once I did, I hurried myself out of the kitchen and back into my bedroom. I sat on my bed, mentally reviewing what happened by there. I know something like that shouldn't make me feel twice about it, but for some damn reason, it was. Kabuto being generous for once, that was just super weird and out of the ordinary. I don't know if I should laugh at the mask he was putting on or hide somewhere because freaking Kabuto Yakushi, the king of jerks, displayed an act of generosity.

The hell, man?

Well, whatever. It was probably because he didn't get a lot of sleep and he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Or the right side, I wasn't too sure.

Shaking that thought out of my head, I went over to my small desk and sat myself down. The first thing that caught my eye was a small white envelope sitting on the surface. It was already opened by me years ago when Sasuke and Naruto had their big battle since Sasuke told me to leave and he would catch up to me when he finished business with the knuckle-headed blonde. I did what I was told and got out of the way, but I never left; I stood in the sidelines because despite knowing that Naruto meant a lot to Sasuke, he would stop at nothing to get rid of him, maybe even kill. While they were throwing punches, I secretly read the letter that my good friend, Shikamaru, gave me that was written by my boyfriend, Neji Hyuga. I had mixed feeling about that for many reasons.

For starters, the lazy Nara admitted that he secretly had feelings for me and his teammates, Choji and Ino, knew that which was surprising; especially on Ino's case because she wasn't really good at keeping secrets. Secondly, he told me this when he and Naruto— the only two that were chasing the Sound ninja and I at the time – and I had to lie to the Sound shinobi that I would "deal" with him while they take care of the blonde. Thirdly, when he confessed, I couldn't help but feel that he already knew I was with Neji and that he regretted never telling me in the beginning. I felt guilty about that; I felt as if it was sort of my fault. But how in the hell should I know anyway? Shikamaru never batted an eye on this specific topic. And lastly, the fact that he gave me this letter that was from Neji meant one of two things; either Neji stayed back to deal with one of Orochimaru's henchmen and couldn't hand it to me personal, or he was heartbroken that I left the village, which in his eyes I left him. Again I felt bad.

But it wasn't like I totally left him in the dark.

* * *

 _I was jumping over houses in the middle of the night. The view of the village under the full moon always helped me relax when I feel stressed about something. But tonight was the opposite, it wasn't helping me with my stress levels; if anything it was making it worse. Tonight was the night I was leaving my home, leaving all of my friends, mentors, everyone. I never wanted to, but Sasuke somehow convinced me to leave because it was for our own benefit— at least that was what he said. But the fact leaving my family without warning just made me feel guiltier than ever. I wanted to at least tell Kakashi-sensei what was happening, but knowing him he was probably out on a secret mission or hibernated for the night. Why was it he was always late when his help was necessarily needed? I could never put my finger on it._

 _Since I couldn't notify Kakashi at this time, I was on my way to the next best person, Neji. I wasn't too sure how he was going to react because like my brother, he was sort of expressionless and stoic. On the other hand, he had changed a bit since we started dating during the month break from the chunin exam, and changed even more after losing to Naruto in the final rounds of that same exam. If anything, he would either low-key beg for me to stay or force me to stay since he would've gotten the idea that it was all Sasuke's doing. They had never seen eye-to-eye, especially since he became my boyfriend and of course Sasuke being overly-protective. Regardless, I feel the need to tell Neji since he deserved knowing at least a bit._

 _But was it the right way to go or was I making the situation more complicated than it should be?_

 _I arrived at Neji's place, preparing myself for what was to come. Inhaling to remain calm, I swiftly hopped on the roof without sound; since I was dealing with a Hyuga, I had to be extra careful since their ability to sense chakra was beyond belief. I made sure my chakra flow was calm and slow so I don't alert anyone, and I made my way towards his bedroom window. Knowing him, he probably locked it so I took out a senbon and picked at the lock until I heard a click which made me wince. I realized the sound wasn't loud enough for anyone to hear and I proceeded in opening the window as slowly and quietly as I possibly could. It felt like years, but I finally made it in Neji's bedroom. I closed the window behind me and slid my feet towards his bed where he slept so soundly. As I stood over him, I absorbed everything that was gonna happen once I left his room and the thought of that just made my tears sit on my lower eyelids. I wish he was awake so I could tell him face to face and properly say goodbye to him, but it wasn't fair for me to selfishly wake him up and tell him I was leaving and never coming back just when he was peacefully sleeping._

 _Luckily, I wrote a note for him, telling him what was going on and the decision I made. I wish he wouldn't be mad at me, but I know it wouldn't be his fault if he was. After placing the note on his nightstand, I blindly stood there gazing at him as I tried not to let my tears fall. He was comfortably under his bed covers topless and removed his Leaf headband and anything he wore under it leaving him with his bare forehead that had his family curse mark he told me about on there._

 _Then, out of nowhere, a hand grabbed my wrist in a split second. I was so lost in my thoughts I squeaked in shock; I wasn't expecting this at all. I looked down and saw that Neji was now wide awake and he had his eyes looking directly at me. I also saw that his hand was firmly wrapped around my wrist. I examined his face and he didn't look groggy nor tired at all; it looked like he hadn't slept at all; did he knew all along I was coming and he was waiting for me?_

" _Y-You're awake…? You weren't sleeping this whole time?" I obliviously asked in shock, probably looking like a lost child._

" _I was… but I sensed your chakra the minute you arrived." He answered as he continued to examine my expression._

 _I could already tell he sensed the uneasy aura I was giving out. Typical Hyuga._

" _Sorry for waking you up…" I apologized as I slightly looked away._

 _Still gripping my wrist, Neji sat up on his bed. "Is that the only reason why you're here right now? To apologize for waking me up? Knowing you, you wouldn't go so far to sneak into someone's room just to apologize for something like that." He pointed out skeptically._

 _Again, typical Hyuga._

" _What's wrong, love?" He asked sweetly, giving me a glossy concerning look._

 _I glanced away in guilt, not wanting to let his concern get the best of me. But not answering him just made him more curious and concerned which increased the need to know what was wrong with me._

" _Tell me what's wrong?" He asked again but slightly harder, then he suddenly stood up in front of me. "I won't let you go until I get an answer from you."_

 _When he said that, I knew he meant it. Neji reminded me of my brother; both he and Sasuke were stubborn. But I couldn't tell him everything because I knew he wouldn't let me leave even if he had to force me to stay._

" _It's nothing, Neji. Don't worry about it…" I tried to dismiss as quickly as I could because I didn't want to keep my brother waiting._

 _It was another thing I had to be careful of because I asked him to give me some time to do one small thing, which he respected. But he told me not to waste time or else suspicion would rise within the village. Sasuke had no clue I was telling Neji that I was fleeing the village because he told me to keep my mouth shut. But I couldn't help it; I couldn't just leave and not give anyone a clue why, it wasn't fair and it would make me feel the guilt ten times more._

 _Then, I felt Neji's hang gently holding my chin and forcing me to face him and look him in the eye._

" _I know it's not just nothing. I know you're planning something big and risky and I also know you feel guilty for going with it. And I know once I figured out what, you know I won't let you which is the reason why you're not telling me…" He explained as he looked me in the eye, waiting for me to cave._

" _If you really want to know, I wrote it down on a note." I informed him broadly, trying hard not to get lost in those beautiful eyes of his._

 _Neji narrowed his eyes. "I want to hear from you…" He muttered softly and placed a soft kiss on my forehead._

 _Well, I was screwed after he kissed my forehead which always gave me butterflies. But because of that and my guilt, it made me feel nauseous. I held back tears as the emotions sat uncomfortably in my throat. Finally I let the tears fall down my cheek because it hurt too much to hold back anymore. Seeing this made him grunt in concern._

" _I'm so sorry, Neji…" I cried softly, lowering my head. "But this will probably will be the last time I'll see you…"_

" _What do you mean by that?" He inquired in concern, sounding a bit worried._

 _I glanced up at him with tears streaming down my face. "I'm putting the village and everyone in it behind me." I answered vaguely, not wanting to say more._

 _Right then and there, Neji knew exactly what I meant. He knew that I was leaving the village._

" _You're leaving the village? You're telling me that you're willing to throw everything and everyone away without a reason?" He questioned in a fuming voice, sounding angry and confused._

" _There is a reason, Neji…" I countered weakly; I knew making an excuse wouldn't redeem my words._

" _Then, what is the reason you're leaving?" He asked solidly, narrowing his eyes._

 _I couldn't tell him the reason behind me leaving. If I did, Neji would get pissed off with Sasuke for making me leave with him, and with me because apparently was stupid for mindlessly leaving the village I grew up in._

" _I can't, Neji. I'm sorry…" I feebly stated as I soft held his hand that held my chin and removed its grip._

 _I couldn't dare look into his eyes after refusing to answer for my actions. But either way, he would still be angered for what I was doing, and he had every right to be. I felt that it would be best if he didn't know the full details so I wouldn't bring Sasuke into the situation. If that happened, Sasuke would stop at nothing to make sure Neji would keep his mouth shut and prevent him from saying a word to anyone— probably kill him to achieve that – but also I would be punished for telling him. I wasn't saying Sasuke was stronger than I was at the time, but when Sasuke wasn't thinking straight and his goal was to kill his opponent, it would make it a bit harder to bring him down._

 _Unfortunately, I forgot that Neji was smarter and was really good at extending his knowledge._

" _It's Sasuke, isn't it?" He assumed in a seething tone._

 _Neji was certain it was Sasuke behind all of this, and he was more certain after I winced at his assumption._

" _So, Sasuke is behind all of this, is he? He's the mastermind that wanted to become rogue to the Leaf Village, and he brainwashed you into coming along with him." He inferred coldly, glaring at me with accusing eyes._

" _He didn't brainwash me at all. He simply just convinced me that the only way to get stronger was to leave the village." I corrected him, trying my best to make it seem not as bad as he thought._

 _That didn't clearly work._

" _And you think going to Orochimaru and betraying your fellow shinobi is the way to get stronger?" He seethed in disgust, clenching his fists._

 _I was baffled that Neji already figured out that I was going to Orochimaru, but then again he wasn't oblivious and clearly not stupid. But he believed I was for going to a snake who was a formidable and powerful enemy. I knew going to Orochimaru was a bad idea and barely anything good would come out of it, but it wasn't betraying my comrades. I would never do such a thing._

" _I'm not betraying my comrades. I'm doing this for my benefit…" I replied strongly, trying to hold my ground._

" _What you're doing isn't beneficial at all. Sasuke made you think that so you could come with him… he's putting you in danger and I can't stand that." He grumbled lividly, lowering his head and glared down at his feet._

" _He's not being a good brother to you at all…" He added bluntly through gritted teeth._

" _That's not true at all…" I countered defensively._

 _I was taken back by his sudden glare piercing through me. "All he cares about is power, and he needs Orochimaru to get it. He's using you and your feelings to get what he wants. If he cared about you like you said, then he wouldn't risk endangering you…" He lashed quietly, not wanting to wake anyone up but still loud enough to make his point._

 _I stood there lost and hurt. As much as it hurt to admit it, but Neji might have a point. Sasuke was stubborn, kind of selfish, and smug; he thought everyone around him owed him something because he was mightier. On a similar note, he would do whatever he wanted to get what he desired, but he had never used me for his needs before. Now that he was, I feel like Sasuke was no longer concerned of me at all. The thought of that really hurt. But I still trust his concern for my wellbeing so it wasn't that big of a difference._

" _I've…" I heard Neji mumbling a bit, trying to gather himself._

 _I turned my full attention towards him as he gazed at me with a soft look._

" _I've grown to care about you, Katsumi. Your presence makes me feel calm and comfort, and you bring joy to my day. You showed me that it's okay to relax and be myself, and I'm grateful…" He explained gently as he held my hand._

 _I immediately locked my fingers in his, trying my hardest not to breakdown. "Neji…"_

 _He then placed a determined, hard look on his face. "That is why I'm not going to let Sasuke take advantage of you." He concluded solidly._

 _I wouldn't say he was taking advantage of me, if he did he would've used force right off the bat. Even if it was true, he cared about me. I knew he did and that was all that mattered to me._

" _He didn't take advantage of me, I had a choice." I amended him defensively. "I don't want to leave the village, but I can't let my brother go to Orochimaru on his own."_

 _I didn't like the fact that Neji accused Sasuke for this; it wasn't fair that he had to take all the blame, it didn't sit well with me._

" _But you also can't join the enemy, Katsumi! Even if it means leaving your brother alone out there; he's your brother and he can't control the decisions you make!" He snapped, sharpening his glare at me._

 _For some reason, what he said made me livid. I never was okay with Neji saying things like he knew everything, and he was doing it again. But I wasn't gonna allow him this time because he always had an issue with my brother, and as much as I cared about him, he had no right to speak ill about Sasuke._

" _You don't understand, Neji…" I hissed under my breath._

" _Excuse me…?" He quirked an eyebrow, not clear as to what I just said or meant._

" _Sasuke doesn't control me at all, and I know that for sure! I know him better than anyone else; he's stubborn but he would never use his friends and family for his own personal gain. You don't know him like I do, so you have absolutely no right to say things about him like that." I explained angrily, giving him a teary cold glare._

 _Neji just stood there quietly with no expression on his face. He was probably stunned that I was straight up and told him he doesn't know everything about anything._

" _You don't understand how it feels… to have a family who doesn't think twice about you, doesn't care for your wellbeing. Then have one person who raised you, cared for you, loved you like a sister and a daughter, but then they rip your heart out and ripped it into pieces. On top of that, he tried to kill you. You don't even know how it feels because you have a family who praises you, takes care of you… you were raised by your clan, where I had to raise myself, recover from all the trauma I went through when I was little. I had to mature quicker to take care of myself." I whimpered softly, holding back from crying in distress._

" _Oh, love…" I heard him sigh, feeling sorry for me and for being insensitive._

 _I weakly lifted my head as I showed a determined look on my face with streams of tears from my eyes._

" _Sasuke was the only real family I had. Since childhood, he was my backbone… the reason why I'm here today. He helped me get through the process of mental and emotional healing; he's the person that makes me strong. He did everything he could as a big brother and I couldn't be more grateful than I already am. That's why… I'm willing to do anything to return the favour, even if it means fleeing…" I told him in a slighter serious tone._

 _Neji glanced away; he looked like he felt guilty for not knowing and "disrespecting" me. "I would've never thought you went through all that at such a young age. Forgive me for my rudeness…"_

 _I gracefully wiped my tears away. "Almost no one knows about my past. I'm not comfortable with people giving me pity without understanding the pain…" I briefly replied._

" _But what about your teammates and sensei. If they figure out you and Sasuke fled the village, they—"_

" _I'm aware of that." I interrupted him. "Believe me, Squad 7 was more like my family than just comrades. Guiding Sakura to become a medic ninja like myself helped me improve, and I've grown closer to her; she's like the sister I never had. Kakashi-sensei… his personality was off and sort of provocative, but I looked up to him as sort of a father figure; he knew what I was going through and he did his best to show me the bright side of things. And Naruto… what can I say about him? He's simply uplifting and knew how to release my stress and depression. Sure, he may be hyperactive and a knuckle-head, but he's also a powerful ninja with a strong passion to succeed and to never give up; he never stops impressing me. I know someday, he'll become Hokage and he will make a difference in the Leaf Village and the Ninja World."_

 _Neji remained quiet as he listened to my heartfelt words. "I don't know exactly how they'll react, but I hope they won't hate me and Sasuke. They have to understand that we're taking the next chapter of our lives, and that our times together are cherished forever…" I added hopingly._

" _But what about you and I? Where do we stand?" He suddenly asked hesitantly, still not wanting to make eye contact with me._

 _I sighed then let out an awkward laugh, catching Neji's attention immediately. "I'm not so sure myself. You're my first boyfriend and I'm not certain where we go from here…"_

 _After merely blinking at my comment, he glanced away again._

" _But, one thing's for sure…" I stated warmly as I moved closer to him._

 _When he slowly glanced at me, I was already inches away from him. I lifted both my hands and placed them on both cheeks, cupping them. I could feel slight chills under my palms, feeling anxious about my touch._

" _I enjoyed every moment with you, Neji. Because of you, I learned how to let people in a bit more and have faith in them. Though people see you as a stoic, perfect, intelligent, know-it-all, I see you as a kind, loyal, gentlemen who took very good care of me. I can't thank you enough for being a part of my life." I mumbled sweetly, resting my forehead on his as he did the same._

 _Neji hummed softly in response as he slowly wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him._

" _I know it hurts seeing me go, and I wish I could stay here with you, but I can't. As much as you mean a lot to me, Sasuke has always been my first priority and his safety is very important to me." I breathed as I gazed up at him._

" _So, doesn't that mean we're…"_

" _No, don't put it like that. We're at different points in our lives, and we should follow our own paths, even if they separate." I interrupted him quickly. "Someday, in the future, we'll be together again. Be together and happy…" I beamed softly as I wrapped my hands around his neck._

 _Then, Neji grinned which made confused; what was so funny?_

" _I was intrigued by your personality and your ability to always stay positive. You're not like anyone I've met in the past… beautiful with a heart full of gold…" He complimented warmly, tightening his grip around me._

 _I couldn't help but blush on his comment. He could be such a sweetheart when we were alone. "Neji…"_

 _Without warning, he leaned down closer to my face and pressed his lips on mine, kissing me. I gasped in shock; I wasn't expecting him to kiss me especially in a situation like this. As much as I wanted this to last, Sasuke was probably waiting for me and it had been a while; he would get suspicious if I took this long. But Neji's lips were so soft and heavenly, I lost track of time. Plus, his grip around me was firm, meaning he wasn't letting me go until he had one very last kiss with me and made it count._

 _Sasuke could wait a few more minutes, right?_

 _I finally responded to the kiss by moving my lips in sync with his, trying to enjoy this last, precious moment for probably a long time. I never thought that I would kiss a guy, let alone having a boyfriend. After my experiences with my clan, it was hard for me to trust a guy enough for them to kiss me and touch me a certain way. It was because of this, when the opportunity came around, I simply ran away; I didn't want to get myself hurt and be at a fragile state again. But Neji wasn't like that. I don't know how, but he was able to break down some walls for me to let him in like this. Though there were still boundaries I warned him about, he was probably the closest guy to ever get me to commit to a relationship. Regardless, he taught me things while he learned stuff from me— as he said earlier._

 _But have I gotten over my fear of trusting others, I wasn't sure. I just wasn't there yet._

 _The kiss deepened and Neji tightened his grip even tighter, almost lifting me off my feet. This basically told me that I wasn't going anywhere for a while and that he wanted to have me for as long as possible. I secretly sneaked a peak at the room clock and it said 5:00 am; shit, Sasuke had been waiting for almost an hour. I was dead, so very, very dead. Sasuke was already impatient as it was, but he was power hungry right now, which made his patience thin to none. If I don't leave now, there was no telling what hell he was gonna give me. But with Neji's tight grip around my body and kissing me, it was gonna be hard._

 _However I do have a plan on my mind, but it was kind of harsh. On the other hand, it was the best and only option I could come up with in a short amount of time. Doesn't matter, I had no choice._

 _Before Neji noticed my off movements as he still kissed me, it was too late for him. He stood there frozen with blood-shot eyes that showed pain. He then started getting weak on his knees and literally fell from my lips. I caught him just before he hit hard on the floor. I took a few seconds to catch my breath from the kiss as I held my boyfriend who was now unconscious. I dragged his body towards his bed and placed him comfortably under his covers. I gazed at him, taking in his beautiful face that was simply peacefully. I then examined the empty injection needle I held in my hand. It was filled with level one anesthesia, which simply knocked the person out for a short period of time. If I remembered correctly, it would last for about two to three hours which was enough time for me to get out of here and meet up with Sasuke._

 _But just thinking about it made me feel bad for what I did. Injecting someone for no good reason wasn't something I do on a daily basis, in fact I feel sorry putting people to sleep just so they wouldn't feel physical pain. But in this case, I had no choice but to do so. If I stayed here any longer, it would only make me want to stay here more than I already do. That couldn't happen; Sasuke was waiting for me and I had to meet up with him right now._

 _I nodded in confirmation and took one last look at my boyfriend who I cared for so much. It hurt to leave him like this after what I had just did to him, but it couldn't be helped._

" _I'm sorry, love. I never wanted it to end like this." I muttered sorrowfully. "Someday, we'll see each other again…"_

 _I bent down and gave him a sweet kiss on his forehead, resulted him sighing peacefully. I carefully walked around his bed and opened the window one last time. I hopped on the frame and glanced at Neji one last time, then leaped out of the room after sealing the window. I made my way to one of the village's exits where Sasuke was waiting for me. As I jumped from roof to roof, the only thing that was on my mind at the time was Neji Hyuga._

* * *

That memory always made me overwhelmed because even to this day, I don't know where Neji and I stood, if he was furious at me for drugging him to sleep, or if he even still had the same feelings he did years ago. I wasn't gonna lie, I would be hurt if he no longer cared for me because I enjoyed my relationship with Neji. But I guess I deserved it since I left him and knocked him out; wasn't the nicest way to say goodbye, I suppose.

No matter, he probably moved on with his life and I did too. As long as he was happy now, it was enough.

As I thought deeply to myself, I heard a knock on my door which kind of surprised me. I got up from my desk and walked over to the door. I opened the door and guess who was there? It was Kabuto freaking Yakushi. After having long thoughts of Neji, I was feeling a bit sensitive and down so I didn't give the jerk a strong glare like I usually do. I just gave him an annoyed groan.

"What do you want, four eyes? Did you break something in the kitchen or did you set the whole thing on fire?" I grumbled mockingly, placing one hand on my hip.

The first thing I noticed about him was that he had already changed into his normal clothing. That was sad to be honest; he looked more bearable without his glasses and ponytail.

Four eyes merely snickered at my question. "Oh, please. I can assure you that I can take care of myself, thank you."

I snorted smugly. "I doubt it…"

Then, it was quiet. Why? I glanced at him and saw that he was staring at me, as if he was examining me. He was more of a creep than possible.

"Are you alright?" He suddenly asked with a serious tone.

That came out of nowhere.

"Why?" I questioned curiously and suspiciously.

Then, without warning, he reached out in front of me and gently wiped my under eyelids with his thumb. The jerk was touching me, and not in a usual way. Kabuto barely touched me because I would give him a death warning if he came anywhere close to my personal space unless it was absolutely necessary; even then, it was unlikely. But he had just touched me in a comforting way, and I was pretty sure it wasn't as a joke. What game was he pulling?

"It kind of looks like you have tears in your eyes. Like you were about to cry…" He analyzed blankly, removing his hand from my face.

Thank god his hand was gone, it was making me shiver to the bone. Why…?

"First off, touch me like that again and I will bite your thumb without hesitation." I threatened exasperatedly, sharpening my glare.

"Anyway…" He started bluntly, dismissing my threat. "I'm here because Orochimaru summoned us, possibly for a mission…"

Orochimaru summoned me again? With four eyes? Together? Right now? For a mission? Together? I thought today was my day off, but no the snake had to slither back and bite me in the ass again.

I wonder what Orochimaru wanted from me this time.

* * *

 **And that's the end of Chapter 3! Sorry for taking so long to post it! I'm in the middle of summer school to get a head start. Also, my bad if this wasn't worth the hype, but at least I tried my best! Anyway, I'll see you next time with Chapter 4!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, guys! Hope you're ready for Chapter 4! The arc for 'An Unwanted Mission' will be in multiple parts and I think you guys are gonna like it. Enjoy PART 1!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: An Unwanted Mission (Part 1)**

Kabuto and I stood patiently in the grand room where Orochimaru usually was when he was in need of his henchmen. However, I wasn't a "henchmen"; I don't consider myself one at least. Said Sanin sat in his throne in front of us with his head comfortably placed on his hand with his elbow being supported by the armrest. He examined us as he pondered joyfully to himself, which was probably twisted knowing him.

I winced when I noticed his eyes were glued on me. "It looks to me that you weren't really prepared for this meeting. Overslept dear?" He mused charmingly, referring to me still in my sleepwear and messy bedhead.

I blinked at his joke and broadly replied, "I woke up a while ago. I just thought that there was no point in getting ready since there's nothing to be done today."

Orochimaru's grin grew wider at my reason. He was probably amused that I was the only one in the room who clearly didn't look at all professional.

"Clearly that wasn't the case or I wouldn't even be in here right now…" I added in bore.

Orochimaru sighed mockingly. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but it can't be helped. I need you two on this mission now…" He claimed as his smirk was no longer on his face.

"What is the mission, my lord?" Kabuto asked politely, standing respectively straight next to me.

The amount of respect four eyes had for "Lord Orochimaru" was incredible; it never stopped amazing me.

"Lately, I've been creating a formula for a special food pill that helps the body continuously heal itself from inflicted damage for long periods of time, and I just completed its blueprint creation. But the ingredients needed to make them are very rare and only located at the borders of the Great Nations. It is even said that some of these herbs were long extinct but turning back would be pointless considering how close I am." Orochimaru described thoroughly, sounding strict and serious about the topic.

Both Kabuto and I remained standing, waiting for him to give us more details. Then, Orochimaru reached for something behind him and took out a small scroll.

"This scroll contains all of the herbs and ingredients needed for this pill. Be certain that you've obtained every single thing on this list." He warned hardly, tossing the scroll towards us in which Kabuto easily caught it.

"You'll leave for your mission later today. It will probably take you about a few days to complete, a week at the most if things all go well." He added nonchalantly.

"Hold on…" I abruptly spoke up, instantly grabbing Orochimaru's attention.

"Why are you sending both of us on this mission? Specifically me when I'm not really familiar with the area?" I asked in frustration, not seeing any point of me being a part of the mission.

"This mission requires two people; two medic ninja to be exact. It will take forever if one person looks for rare species of herbs whereas having two people experienced for this mission would make the process move more quickly." He reasoned blankly, merely blinking at me.

"But still…"

"Kabuto will lead in this mission since he's familiar with the area, and I know he'll get the job done no matter what." He cut me off instantly.

Now that I knew four eyes was leader, it just made me not want to go even more. It was bad enough I had to spend time with him on a mission, but with him as leader? Where was a hammer I could use to hit myself with to erase this horrible situation?

"Now that you two are aware of the objective of this mission, you're—"

"No." I cut him off coldly.

Orochimaru glanced at me with an annoyed and nasty look on his face. I was aware that he didn't like when someone tried to stand in his way nor say no to him, but I didn't care. I wasn't his henchmen like four eyes; he couldn't boss me around. And I also didn't care if he was enraged by my rebellion because I wasn't gonna help him achieve his evil plans. It wasn't like he was gonna hurt me either because if he wanted Sasuke's body, he was forbidden to touch me whether if I deserved it or not.

The sanin remained glaring at me with his snake-like eyes. "What do you mean by 'no'?" He demanded in question, losing his patience with me.

"I'm sorry, but I will not do this mission. I see no reason why I should go, especially with him. You know full well that I can't stand him and we don't get along…" I debated as I folded my arms.

"I am aware of that. But the mission isn't about you nor Kabuto, so it shouldn't matter if you two go on this mission together." He commented lowly.

"It actually does matter." I countered firmly. "If Kabuto and I can't get along with each other or even work together on this mission, the goal will be out of reach."

Orochimaru then closed his eyes, thinking deeply to himself. Possibly meditating. Then he snapped his eyes wide open and showed a fearing, death glare that pierced right through me. From there, I didn't know what to expect next.

"Don't _ever_ try to deceive me, little one! You should learn your role here, and as long as you're with me you follow _**my**_ rules! I promise you… if you don't start showing me some respect, I will—"

"You'll what…?" I interrupted him once again, not really phased with his cold, heartless demeanor.

"What…?" He growled, daring me to speak more.

"You know just as much as I do that you can't do anything to me because Sasuke will make sure you and Kabuto will suffer and be punished for hurting me. And even if that doesn't happen, my brother is aware that you want his Sharingan and he won't give it to you if you do anything to me that he finds unacceptable." I explained smugly, giving him a microscopic smirk.

The words I had just spoken only made him angrier. He gritted his teeth lividly and swiftly stood from his chair. He was about to use his jutsu to attack me, and I was ready to block it at any time. It was clear to me that he wasn't thinking this through because he knew that whatever he was going to do, his actions would result in him losing the Sharingan.

"My Lord, wait!" A voice blurted out, causing the both of us to wince and turned to where the voice was coming from.

Orochimaru blindly glared at his faithful subordinate. "What is it, Kabuto?" He seethed, ready to kill at any given point.

"With all due respect, Katsumi's right." He politely reminded. "If you try to discipline her, you'll feel the wrath of her brother. You need Sasuke's body, and he _agreed_ as long as we don't harm her. Even though he's currently out on a mission, he'll figure out and he won't hold back."

Kabuto did made some solid points because hearing what he had to say made Orochimaru calm down a bit and remained seated on his chair.

"Remember your goal…" He added hardly.

With a long sigh, said "lord" grumbled, "You're right, Kabuto. I shouldn't let my anger get in the way…"

Hearing this made four eyes sigh in relief, not having to deal with his anger.

"Katsumi." I heard Orochimaru calling my name in which I glanced at him and listened to what he had to say next.

"Despite your brother's commands, it doesn't apply on missions. You are required to complete missions that I assign to you respectfully. Even Sasuke agrees…" He stated cockily.

I wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not. Regardless, I would be forced to do this mission so I might as well.

"Fine I'll do it." I groaned tiredly. "But don't expect four eyes here to return in one piece if he gets on my nerves."

"Good then, I expect you two to leave soon." He concluded in satisfaction, then dismissed us.

Once I left the room, I immediately found my way to my bedroom to pack up and ready myself for this mission. Finding herbs and plants for medicine wasn't an easy job because every species of plant were used for different medicine. And considering that the herbs Orochimaru wanted were rare, it would be ten times harder. That would mean Kabuto and I would have to work together because despite our extensive knowledge, we wouldn't get work done if we couldn't get along. Hopefully this would be short and sweet.

I walked out of my bedroom and walked through the dull hallways to meet up with Kabuto. Still ironic that I knew exactly where the exit was. Said four eyes was patiently waiting for me at the door with his stuff ready to leave at any time. He rotated his head, realized that I was standing there waiting for me.

"Are you just going to stand there the whole time?" I huffed in frustration, I wasn't in the mood to carry any patience for him.

Kabuto snickered at my comment. "Says the person who takes double the time to get ready." He countered sarcastically, adjusting his glasses.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, let's just go already." I grumbled and walked out the door, not caring if he followed or not.

* * *

Once we both stepped foot out of the pits of darkness and sorrow, we immediately start travelling through the forest by branch from branch. I couldn't stand that Kabuto was made leader because that would mean I would have to follow his rules, and that was a complete nightmare for me. I just had to keep reminding myself that the quicker we complete this mission, the sooner I could be left alone with no one nagging at me.

"Let's stop here…" Four eyes merely suggested, slightly looking over his shoulder at me.

Without giving any response, we both landed on the soft grass in unison. As we straightened ourselves, Kabuto pulled out the scroll Orochimaru gave him from his pouch and carefully read what was inside. I knew he mentioned about a list of herbs needed, but I felt like there was much more in the scroll than he said. I slid myself closer to Kabuto and attempted to read over his shoulder. As I scanned through the writing, I took in the fact that half of these plants were super rare and considered endangered. In other words, there was no way we could find all of them as fast as I originally hoped. Damn it all.

"Half of them are almost gone, if I remembered correctly." I commented nonchalantly.

Kabuto gave me a brief look then glanced back down at the scroll. "You're right there. I remembered the last time he sent me on a similar mission and it took me about two weeks." He replied in agreement as he also scanned through the writing.

That was very pleasant to hear, knowing that it was possible I would be camping in the forest for almost a month. Why did I wanted to be the best medic ninja I could be?

"Well, I say we should split up." I purposed strongly, stepping away from the nerd. "I'll get the first half of the list and you take the second. It will make it easier and faster to find them."

"I'm not so sure about that." He tsked on my plan.

"Why the hell not?" I questioned, not comprehending as to why he would disagree.

"Well for starters, since these herbs are rare, we don't know exactly where they are located." He answered in a dull tone, not giving me any eye contact. "Secondly, this mission is meant for two medic ninja meaning we both have to stick together to find the ingredients. Even if we spilt up, it will make it more difficult to find them since we don't know where they are to begin with; we can't just walk blindly in the forest wasting time."

I stood there in silence, sort of zoning out as he spoke.

"Besides, you said it yourself: you're not familiar with this area just yet. That would be a hassle for me to find the plants and take care of you at the same time." He mocked with a smirk as he took his eyes off of the scroll to see my reaction.

"Shut up, four eyes! I'm not a kid, I can take care of myself!" I snapped viciously.

"Yeah, good for you." He mused skeptically to piss me off.

I was aware that I was supposed to keep my cool around him so we could just finish this mission and then do our own thing alone, but the jerk was getting on my last nerve. I simply had enough, so I stomped over to him until I stood in front of him. He merely turned his attention towards me, wondering what I was doing. Gritting my teeth, I snatched the scroll from his hands which stunned him a little.

"Let me make myself clear, you four-eyed jerk." I hissed venomously. "Just because your 'hero' made you in charge doesn't mean you can go boss me around. I don't respect you or that snake, and if I could, I would leave you all alone to die. So, I highly suggest you not to boss me around unless you want to burn alive." I threatened darkly, not really realizing that my Sharingan was activated.

That might've scared him a bit considering he looked a bit nervous at my sudden change in tone. He then cautiously took the scroll I held off my hands, just in case I wasn't in the mood to be touched.

"I wasn't trying to boss you around, I was simply being honest." He justified calmly. "Lord Orochimaru needs these ingredients for his experiment, and I must get them as soon as possible. I don't really mind if you sit back and do nothing, but at least cover me just in case of an ambush."

It sort of sounded like he was begging me to stay. But what was the point of me staying if I wasn't going to do anything, and it wasn't like I could go back because I would have to feel Orochimaru's wrath. Plus if I were to stay, it would take a lot longer to find all of the ingredients for the food pill.

"Hand that scroll over for a minute?" I stuck out my hand for the scroll.

Without hesitating, he gave me the scroll and I read it over carefully. I sighed and closed the scroll and handed it back to him.

"Based on what I've seen in that list of his, it would take ages to find all of them." I commented tiredly. "If you were to try to find them on your own, God knows how long it will take. And even though I'd rather sit down and watch you, it wouldn't be considerate of me letting you do the work."

"So, you'll help me or not?" Kabuto asked unsurely.

"Does it look like I have a choice?" I huffed in bore, folding my arms across my chest.

Four eyes only gave out a smirk. "Good. We should start looking then…"

"Might as well…" I sighed and bent down to examine the field filled of herbs.

* * *

We were both right about the rare plants. They weren't easy to find and it was really frustrating; I sort of regretted lending a hand to Kabuto. But slowly and surely, we crossed out one herb after another the second we had obtained it. We just located a very rare herb that was close to extinction when I realized it was already dusk. Kabuto noticed this too as he safely placed the plant in his bag.

"We should probably turn in for the night." He advised in bore as he adjusted the position of his glasses.

"Yeah…" I breathed in response, stretching the stress away from my body.

* * *

We set up a small camp fit for two. Once we had finished preparing for the night, I briefly left the site to fetch some firewood. I came back to the campsite a while later and the first thing that caught my eye was a well-made campfire. I was sort of blown away because I just left to get wood so I could make the fire myself, but apparently that was taken care of. I trailed my eyes around the area, trying to find Kabuto since he probably was the one who made the fire. It wasn't until a moment later when he walked out of our only tent with nothing but a navy blue shirt and dark grey pants. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his glasses like he did in the morning but he still had his hair in a ponytail.

I always seem to forget that Kabuto looked so different without his glasses, and sort of not exactly in a bad way.

I caught his attention instantly and he threw a welcoming grin. "Back so soon, I see." He hummed.

I gave him a long look then let my eyes glue to the fire. "That fire…" I started.

"If you're implying that it was me who made the fire, then you're right…" He cut in as if he already knew what I was going to say.

"Then what was the point of me going out for firewood?" I groaned with a microscopic pout, irritated that I went through trouble for nothing.

Four eyes slid his feet towards me with his grin still on his face. "I assume that you put up a sweat just to find some wood." He implied smugly.

"You assumed correctly." I replied hardly, narrowing my eyes at him.

Without saying a word, Kabuto took the pile of wood from my hands and walked away from me. "We'll save these for tomorrow night and so on." He simply stated, placing the pile behind the tent.

"Well okay, but someone has to prepare dinner. I'm getting hungry…" I mumbled hungrily, wishing the taste of delicious food.

Kabuto chuckled to himself. "I was hoping for that." He mused as he walked towards the fire. "Take a good look."

I assumed he was referring to the campfire and I examined it once again. This time, I noticed five cooked salmon laying near the golden flames with sticks pierced through each one of them. I was baffled and slightly impressed; four eyes was thinking ahead and he came prepared. I couldn't help it but my mouth started watering as my eyes were glued to the delicious-looking food in front of me. I blindly marched over to the fire and was reaching down for a cook salmon, until a tanned hand snatched my wrist, preventing me from moving any further. I glared at the one who was responsible, daring him to touch me any longer.

"You should make yourself comfortable before you eat." He suggested broadly, possibly referring to my clothes.

"Fine, but only this once." I grunted in annoyance as I slapped his grip off of me.

I stomped my way towards the tent and went inside. I removed my crop hoodie and thigh boots. I left on my net short-sleeve shirt and shorty shorts then I put on ordinary ninja sandals. Once I was satisfied, I walked out of the tent seeing Kabuto now kneeling near the fire preparing the food. He took his eyes off of what he was doing and briefly scanned at my slightly different appearance. I wondered what was going through his mind because he was just blinking at me, saying nothing at all. Finally— which felt like forever –he opened his mouth.

"Are you comfortable?" He asked expressionlessly.

"Sure, I guess." I responded uncertainly, shrugging my shoulders.

He offhandedly grinned. "Now, you can eat." He proclaimed mockingly.

Rolling my eyes, I treaded over to the fire and seated comfortably on the soft ground, across from four eyes. He handed me a plate of food just after I settled myself. I took the plate from his hand without warning and placed it gently on my lap. I examined it cautiously; knowing him, he could've put anything remotely dangerous in the food.

"Don't worry, it's not poisoned, rotten, or deadly in anyway." He sighed tiredly as if he was reading my mind like a book.

I shot a hard glare at him in response. "How the hell would I know that? This is probably a scheme you set up to drug me and use me like your personal toy." I hissed, sharpening my glare.

Kabuto sat there with a blank look on his face on my comment. It didn't look as if he was hurt by my comment since he showed no emotion about it, but I couldn't help but think that he was processing the words I had just thrown at him. I wasn't too sure myself because in all honesty, I had said worst things to him before and never left sorry about it. And he always acted as if I was the bully and he was my victim which wasn't true at all; I was his victim. If he had never lied to me about everything, then I might've back off with the harsh words. He never felt sorry for what he did, so he was getting what he deserved.

"You're simply jumping to conclusions." I heard his soft, upfront voice as my attention was all on him. "You always seem to think that I'm some heartless predator out to secretly get you and use you for personal pleasure, which I'm not. I understand that you don't like me at all, and I'm okay with that. But I would much appreciate it if you stop thinking such things about me."

I was kind of shocked. Why was he saying this as if I was the bad guy? People like him really got under my skin, pretending that they weren't in the wrong.

"Well, I wouldn't be thinking that if you weren't Orochimaru servant and using humans as dolls for your benefit!" I snapped back, ticked off for his fake innocence.

Suddenly, he gave me a cold yet a slightly hurt stare, causing me to almost spill what was on my plate.

"Just because I serve Lord Orochimaru… it doesn't mean I'm not human. I have personal feelings too." He justified lowly, clenching his fist.

Hearing that made me gasp in awe; this was probably the first time he leaked in his offense to my words. I shouldn't feel slightly bad because he was probably messing with me like he always does, but I couldn't point my finger at that logic at that moment. Something told me he wasn't lying about the last statement. I simply sat there, still taken aback from his words when he cleared his throat. I snapped back to reality and laid my eyes on Kabuto, who still sat across from me waiting patiently. I didn't really know what else to do about the food that was still sitting on my lap. I couldn't just throw it all away since he was literally in front of me and after the stuff he said earlier made it all the more awkward. Plus, I was starving; I had no other choice.

I allowed myself to chow down without any care, not regretting anything about any of it.

As I munched on the fire-cooked meal, I sneaked some glances towards Kabuto who paid no attention to me whatsoever; he was zoned out as he was blindly staring at the bright flames in front of him. I wondered if he was still thinking about what I said about him right in his face. I cleaned my plate in a nick of time and then I noticed him reaching his hand out towards me.

"You're finished right?" He presumed blankly, referring to me finishing eating.

"Uh, yeah?" I replied in question; I wasn't exactly sure what to say.

"Then, hand me over your plate so I can pack up before bed." He urged softly; he sounded that he wasn't in the mood to joke with me.

Did I damage him that much? Was he actually more offended than I thought? Why do I care the slightest anyway?

I blankly moved my plate away from his hand, leaving him there slightly confused.

"I'll do it, you just go to bed." I blurted out, slightly surprised that I just offered to do his work.

I assumed Kabuto was just as confused as I was. "No really, I think it would be better if I—"

"I can seriously do it. Besides, you look like you really need the sleep after all that work you put up with. It's only fair since you set up the campfire, tent, and prepared food for the both of us on your own…" I interrupted in assurance, realizing yet again I was being nice to him.

Kabuto blinked at my reasoning, not really sure what to say exactly. At first, I thought he was going to rebel and not listen to me. But then, he retracted his hand as he sat back down like before.

"If that's what you want, then so be it." He yawned tiredly then he lifted himself up on his feet.

Four eyes lazily slid his feet towards our tent and walked in. I made sure he wasn't gonna pop out by surprise, then I got started with the chores. Once I was done with everything that needed to be done, I made my way to the tent. I quietly opened the zipper and crept into the tent. Once I sealed the entrance, I turned and my eyes instantly caught on a sleeping Kabuto who slept as still as a rock. I legitimately thought that he was dead for a moment. I examined his body lift and drop as he breathed through his parted lips gently. His perfectly tanned face glistened in the moonlight that shone through the tent window. I stood there like a lost child staring right at snoozing handsome; don't know why that thought came up out of nowhere.

Realizing I was staring at Kabuto for a long time, my cheeks turned bright pink all of a sudden. I was kind of embarrassing gazing at the person I couldn't stand. I couldn't even imagine how embarrassing it would've been if he woke up and busted me for staring at him.

I carefully made my way to my sleeping spot that was already prepared for me. Once again, four eyes wanted to a gentlemen; he really needed to stop because it wasn't doing anything good for him. I placed my head on my pillow as I pulled the blanket up to my chest. I stared up at the opened tent window as the moon shone proudly in the night sky, thinking about what was to come tomorrow. I hoped this mission would be done soon because no offense to Kabuto, I wasn't used to being around people for long periods of time especially for those who I don't particularly like— again, no offense to four eyes. Even the times with Squad 7; I loved them but there were times I wanted to hide in my closet until Kakashi somehow found me.

The next thing I knew I was peacefully sleeping just like my companion next to me.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter. This part of the story would probably be a trilogy or more, meaning this mission will be split into parts because typing out the whole thing would be a hassle for me. Anyway, I'll see you soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's the second part of their big mission. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: An Unwanted Mission (Part 2)**

I woke up the next morning by the sunlight piercing through my closed eyelids. I tried to dismiss it as much as I could, but it became unbearable to the point I just decided to get the hell up. After I stretched my arms and body, I glanced to my side with groggy eyes, presumably seeing Kabuto asleep. I was surprised that he was nowhere in the tent. What was also surprising was the fact that none of his blankets were there too, meaning he must've packed all of his stuff early so we could leave right after I had woken up. Well, he could've woken me up himself because that made more sense. Then again, he probably thought that it wouldn't be a smart idea since I would end up just slaughtering him right then and there.

Now that I thought about it, he actually did the right thing.

I got up from my covers and walked out of the tent to see no one in the campsite other than myself. I was getting kind of nervous because I had no clue where Kabuto was and I don't sense his chakra anywhere meaning he was somewhere far away from the site. Where the hell did four eyes go? I was just about to go ahead on finding him myself until I noticed a little bird soaring in the air. I didn't think much of it until I realized it was gliding right towards me which triggered me to pull out a kunai knife for defense. But the bird did nothing but gracefully landed on my shoulder, showing that it came in peace. I noted that and carefully picked up the little guy with my hand and positioned it in front of me. It cocked its head to one side as if it was waiting for me to do something; whatever it was, I had no clue. One moment past when I caught my eyes on the bird's ankle which there was a little bag-like object wrapped around it. I gently removed it from the bird and in a split second it flew from my hand. I moved my attention to the little bag in the palm of my hand and attempted to open it. Inside was a small, folded piece of paper. After a moment of opening the paper without damaging it, I examined what seemed to be a note read what it said.

 _ **I didn't want to bother you, so I went out to do a personal errand. I'll meet you here at the site when I'm done.**_

 _ **-Kabuto Yakushi**_

It made sense but at the same time, it doesn't. It did explained why he was nowhere in the campsite, but what was this "errand" that was so personal he couldn't tell me.

At least I knew where he was and he had the courtesy to tell me. But now that I had nothing assigned to do, I was bored. So bored, I decided I should just pack up the rest of the campsite since we were probably gonna move to a different location at the end of the day. With that in mind, I got started by dismantling the tent, folding the blankets, pillows, and mattress, and other stuff that were left out. It took me a nick of time for the space to be clear as if no one stepped foot in it. I stretched my limbs that were a bit cramped up from all that work. I was rolling my shoulders when I heard leaves rustling behind me. I swiftly spun on my heel to face whatever it was hiding in the bushes. I was ready for it to make its move anytime; I was ready to fight.

Alas, it was just the grey-haired, four-eyed jerk that I knew and couldn't stand who poked his head out of the green bushes.

I wasn't sure if I should feel stupid or exasperated at Kabuto. Apparently, he saw the dumb look on my face and cracked a chuckle from his lips.

"Why so tense all of a sudden?" He mocked smugly, throwing his signature grin at my way.

I tsked in annoyance. "Why the hell were you hiding in the bushes?" I shot a question back at him.

"You have intermediate skills on sensing chakra; I thought you knew it was me." He implied as he raised his shoulders, pointing out that it wasn't it fault.

"That doesn't mean I should let my guard down just because it was my 'partner'. There are a few of those who excel well in Transformation Jutsu and deceiving their enemy by pretending to be their ally." I briefly specified as I folded my arms and turned away, not wanting to look at him.

"You're just being paranoid, but I guess I'll take your word for it." He sighed in defeat; he probably didn't want to tick me off this early in the morning.

I was kind of baffled. For once, four eyes had the final word; I always got the last word and won. In this case, he didn't exactly won but he actually got me speechless for once. It situations like this, I would just say random stuff until he doesn't catch up to the meaning behind my words. Mostly it was because there was no meaning. But just like that, he ended the conversation by just dropping the topic in front of me.

He probably just fell and hit his head pretty hard, I thought.

"What was this errand you had to accomplish so early anyway… without tell me…" I questioned solidly, wanting an honest answer from him.

The one thing I hated more than that bastard of a brother, Itachi Uchiha, was liars. I hated them with a burning passion and every time someone lied to me, I dread to slit their throat.

"I woke up very early and decided to go ahead and search for more of the herbs Lord Orochimaru needed. You looked like you needed rest and it would've been rude of me to wake you up for something you never wanted to do in the first place." He answered emotionlessly, seemingly telling the truth.

I wasn't sure what to say; it didn't look like he was lying and he was showing some sympathy towards me. I of all people. How should I respond to it? What should I say?

"Uh, thanks I guess." I replied unsurely; it was literally the only thing I came with randomly.

Luckily, Kabuto didn't see this as he gladly nodded at my thanks then he walked over to the clearing examining his surroundings.

"The clearing we've chosen looks slightly difference, I see." He commented straight-forwardly, referring to the fact that the campsite no longer looked like a campsite.

As he was taking in the vast space we were standing in, I blanked out with resulted in me having the sudden urge to say something to Kabuto but didn't know how to.

"For the record, I wouldn't really minded if you woke me up at dawn." I blurted out unexpectedly, causing me to clamp my hand on my mouth.

Kabuto slowly rotated his head and stared blankly at me over his shoulder. He then turned his whole body until it was facing at my direction. I could already feel the heat of my cheeks rising and turning pink in embarrassment. I prayed he didn't see that.

Then I heard him chuckle at my reaction. "Well, would you look at that? Katsumi is being nice to me for the first time." He mused jokingly.

Kabuto fricking Yakushi thought it was so funny; it didn't sit to well with me.

"I honestly don't see how you find that funny." I comment bluntly as I folded my arms. "And I'm never harsh to you. Your twisted mind and words are too provoking for me to simply brush off."

"But that's the fun of it. Provoking you is sort of entertaining…" He smirked in response.

I blinked at his reply; I wasn't certain if I should say anything because I was concerned his answer would end up with me getting the chills.

"Well, since all of our camp stuff is packed up, we can go ahead and search for the remaining ingredients." Kabuto recommended blandly, walking in my direction.

I stood there frozen as said male treaded past me without batting an eye. I shifted my head as I looked over my shoulder at the back of four eyes' back. I was confused about the whole situation; his attitude towards me seemed a bit different ever since he got offended about the stuff I said about him that he claimed weren't "true". I didn't feel completely guilty because I wasn't expecting him to be defensive about it. Was his feelings hurt? I doubt it because I had said worst things to him before and he would give me his stupid smirk and throw a dis back at me. Was he kind of offended the least? Probably, since I was judging when I don't know him personal— mostly because I'd rather peel own skin than get to know him.

It wasn't until now that I realized that I was standing there staring at nothing now like a complete freak. I had to catch up to Kabuto or else I would be lost in the thick forest. I speed-walked through the bushes, hurrying myself in the same direction he went. Luckily, he didn't go too far and I caught up to him in a nick of time. We proceeded in the search for rare herbs in silence; it wasn't that awkward but it made me uncomfortable regardless. I snuck a few glances at four eyes, who paid no attention to me whatsoever; he was simply examining the field, trying to locate a specific herb of plant.

As I went back to find this plant myself, I couldn't stop thinking about the effort Kabuto was putting in. He always looked like he was putting in a hundred and ten percent of work into this mission for a snake who I highly doubted that appreciated him. I might be reading between the lines, but Orochimaru was using Kabuto as his little lapdog and ordering him around to do stuff for him for his own benefit. Also, what was more upsetting was the fact that Kabuto doesn't seem to mind the snake using him as a pawn and nothing else for three or four years— the number of years might be off because I discovered this when Sasuke and I arrived at one of Orochimaru's lairs. I always wondered why four eyes would put himself through all the sweat, blood, and hate from others just for "Lord Orochimaru".

As much as I hated to say it, I felt sort of bad for him.

Then again, it was his own damn fault for not giving Orochimaru the finger and leaving him out to dry for all the crap he made him went through.

As I zoned out, I noticed something peculiar in the patch I was searching in. I pushed through the plants with my hand to get a better look at it and gasped to see it was the herb we were currently looking for. I carefully took a bouquet of it and sat comfortably on the soft earth, feeling proud of myself.

"Look what I've found." I singed proudly as I smiled gloatingly, grabbing Kabuto's attention.

"Good work, partner. Never expected you to find it that quickly." He replied in a seemingly sarcastic tone.

I narrowed my eyes on his comment. "You may be four-eyed, but my sight is way quicker than yours."

Kabuto stretched his smirk, and held out his hand. "May I take that bouquet off your hands? We don't want anything to happen to it since it's extremely rare." He asked deviously.

I rolled my eyes. "I know that already, I'm not stupid." I huffed and reluctantly handed the herbs to him.

I watched him as he put the herbs in a small jar and placed it safely in his bag. After buckling it, he stood up as he exhaled tiredly as I remained sitting on my knees.

"So, what's next on the list?" I casually asked, looking up at him blankly as he towered over me.

"Actually… I was thinking we should take a break." He suggested as he gazed down at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows on his suggestion. "You're kidding right?" I scoffed as I lifted myself off the ground. "We don't have time to take a break, Kabuto. We still have more herbs to find and they're not easy to find either."

"I'm aware of that. That's why we should take a break so we have enough energy to look for them." He justified smugly, modifying the position of his glasses.

I rolled my eyes in defeat. It wouldn't hurt to take a break, I guess. Besides, searching high and low for rare plants was harder than it sounded.

"Fine then, let's take a break." I sighed in exhausted.

I saw a mischievous smirk on his face, which was new to me. Normally he would just give me his signature smirk to annoy me, but this one was different than before. It was as if he was planning something that I don't know of. What was he up to?

I heard his footsteps coming towards me and noticed that he was walking to where I was standing, then past me.

"Where are you going, four eyes?" I questioned curiously, cupping my hands on my hips.

Kabuto glanced at me over his shoulder and grinned, "Follow me and you'll find out."

He rotated his head and proceeded in walking to his desired destination, leaving me standing there blankly. The fact he didn't even budge me to follow him meaning he gave me the option to follow him or not. Normally I wouldn't and just continue finding more medical ingredients, but the temptation was such a bother. What was four eyes hiding that was so "big" he wouldn't tell me unless I followed him?

Damn that four-eyed loser.

I quickly marched in the same route Kabuto did; I didn't want to waste any more time than I already had deciding if I should go with him or else I would lose sight of him. Unfortunately, my fear came true. I couldn't find that damn nerd anywhere in my thick green environment.

* * *

At this point it was time for Plan B: Sensory Ninjutsu. I wouldn't say I was experienced with this specific technique nor I was excellent at it like Karin was, one of Orochimaru's subordinates. Despite this, I knew some Sensory Ninjutsu that were decent; not as strong and precise as Karin. I closed my eyes as I made a tiger-seal with both hands as I focused the flow of my chakra. I was only focusing on my chakra, trying to expand my surrounding until I located a chakra wielder somewhere near where I was standing. Due to lack of accuracy, it took me a while for me to find a shinobi somewhere in the forest. Whoever it was, they were about half a mile away from where I was standing. Without wasting another second, I ran towards that pool of chakra I sensed. I ran through the thick bushes and swerved skillfully past the dense trees, running as fast as I could without chakra before that ninja started making a move.

I urgently halted my feet and stood there confused and tired. I wasn't sure why my sensing skills led me to a clearing approximately in the heart of the forest. As I stood just before the entrance to this clearing, the bright intense light stabbed my eyes, causing me to squint them for protection. Was I the one who mistakenly went in the wrong direction? Or was there someone around here messing with my mind with genjutsu? Unless this "genjutsu" the enemy activated was very powerful, like the Tsukuyomi, I could've easily detected it and broke it like it was nothing. So I might've taken the wrong turn then? I then sensed the same chakra from before and it was somewhere in the bright clearing.

I prepared myself for whatever I would face and walked into the light. I made a little shade for my eyes with my hand so I could see through this light. I couldn't believe my eyes when the light from above finally dimmed enough for me to see the area, which was breath-taking. There was a massive green field full of different brightly-coloured flowers. The brilliant blue sky was cloudless as the bright warm sun shone proudly down on the field, making the flowers sparkle a little. I slid my feet through the vast space, taking in the beautiful environment I dreamed of living in. I was in complete awe; it was simply overwhelming. As I wandered peacefully through this big meadow, I realized that I was standing on a hill somewhat by looking down at a crystal blue lake beneath me. I also noticed that there was a human standing by the lake, doing whatever they were doing. I focused my eyesight to see if I could determine said person. I gasped in shock; I might know who this person was. I quickly made my way down the hill to where the big lake was, specifically where this stranger stood.

I shouldn't have said stranger because as I got closer, I knew exactly who this was.

Said person took into account that someone was coming towards him and he glanced at me as he gave me his overused smirk.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up." Kabuto snickered playfully, placing his hands on his hips.

I frowned on his comment. "Well, I would've earlier if you weren't being annoying and just told me where you were going." I grumbled under my breath.

"But that would've ruined the surprise." He pouted mockingly.

Surprise? Did he meant this "surprise" for me?

"So, let me get this straight." I started hardly, holding my hand up to him so I could speak without interruptions. "You wanted to take a break from our mission and lured me into this big, beautiful meadow as a 'surprise' for me?" I hypothesized slowly, trying to comprehend his actions.

"Pretty much." He shrugged dismissively, not making it seem like it was a big deal.

That was weird; his attitude changed in front of my eyes.

"Why?" I inquired solidly.

"Well, to be truthful…" He sighed admittedly. "There isn't really _a_ reason. Maybe it's because I'm aware that you never wanted to go on this mission with me, and you deserved some sort of treat for assisting me and putting your feelings towards me behind you just for this mission. Or maybe it's the fact that it's been years since you stepped foot out of the woods and see something as amazing as this place, so I thought you deserved some feeling of freedom."

I stood there in slight disbelief. Either he was showing me that he was genuinely grateful for accompanying him despite it was by force or the fact he felt that it wasn't fair for me living in the depths of darkness serving a snake that I wished I could execute on my birthday. It was astonishing since those two possibilities required compassion and sympathy, and those were the two elements he had no clue of. At least I thought until he dropped this bomb at me.

The thought of that made me chuckle. "It's funny, really." I scoffed as furrowed my eyebrows. "I wouldn't have never pegged you as someone who cares about others, never mind their misfortunes."

He gave me a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, don't think you mean all that much to me, Katsumi. I simply lured you here because I know how much you loved flowery meadows."

How the hell did he knew that anyway? I never mentioned this to him in a conversation, and I barely converse with him since he annoyed my soul.

"I don't recall ever talking to you about what I like and dislike." I stated positively.

"That's because I didn't get this info from you." He validated certainly. "During the chunin exams, I asked Naruto if you were always this stubborn, harsh, and sarcastic to everyone since you were always like that with me. His response was defensive, in my opinion; despite him being older than you, he looked up to you as a big sister and claimed that you were a kind-hearted person who went through a lot in the past. He noted to me that you had trouble trusting others because you had experienced abandonment by others and flowers were one of the things that helped you cope through that because of their meaning behind their colour petals."

I was reading between the lines, not caring about Kabuto's reason; I never would've thought that hyperactive, knuckle-headed blonde saw me as his older sister. It was true that I was the first person to break the bystander effect and befriend the blonde when he went through a hard time during his childhood; I never hated the boy like everyone else did nor I saw him as a monster, I saw a little kid who just wanted a friend there by his side and I immediately held my hand out to him. I knew I was a special part in his life and he cherished me in his heart, but seeing me as a sister? I tried to hold back a sob so four eyes wouldn't see a thing wrong with me. Fleeing the Leaf and turning my back on Naruto tore me up inside because our friendship meant a lot to me, and I just threw it all away. But now that Kabuto— out of everyone – told me that I was a sister to him, it made feel a burning sensation in my chest; it made me feel overwhelmed.

Looking back, did I made the right decision: leaving my birth village and abandoning all of my friends, losing everything that was dear to me for Sasuke?

I also wondered if Naruto hated me for what I had done. Would he still forgive me after all those years?

With all these thoughts running through my head, I had no clue that there were tears running down my lightly tanned cheeks. Unfortunately, Kabuto realized this and his eyes slightly widened in question.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked curiously, walking over to me for me aid I assumed.

I immediately pushed him away with one arm as I avoided eye contact; I didn't want him nor his business around me as I tried to hide my sorrow.

"Stay away from me! Just leave me alone!" I spat as I looked away, hiding my face until my tears dried up.

Kabuto gather himself together after that push I gave him and moved himself closer towards me cautiously this time.

"Look, I wasn't trying to—"

"It's not YOU!" I shot venomously, possibly making him nervous.

I rotated my head until I was facing him completely as small streams of tears fell. I saw the confusion and a glint of concern in his eyes.

"Why I'm upset has nothing to do with you!" I repeated in distress. "It's the fact that I lost everything that was dear to me; everything I've searched long and hard for. I turned my back on my village to join Orochimaru against my will, I abandoned all of my friends for Sasuke all because of revenge. Everything that meant so much to me is gone because I threw it all away."

As I ranted all of my feelings out, Kabuto stood there frozen as he listened and seemingly tried to understand how I felt.

"My blood family never cared for me because I was a nuisance and a nothing but a pest. So much that my own family tried to kill me. Not only that, Itachi who was a father to me, slaughtered everyone in our clan and attempted to kill me for his personal gain. I thought I was never loved, I was stuck in a pit full of pain, sorrow, and hatred; it's scary, that place. That is until I was put into Squad 7; it took a while, but I had grown to love them greatly as a family of my own. They pulled me out of that pit of darkness, saving me from myself from self-harming, they welcomed me with open arms. They were my family and I miss them as days go by." I continued aguishly as my body trembled in agony.

"But now, I threw that all away. I feel like I'm back in that pit. As much as I love Sasuke, his hunger for revenge is so strong he pulled me back into severe depression and doesn't even realize it. Regardless of the fact that Sasuke no longer care for Squad 7, they're still the only bright spot in my life and always will be." I breathed hastily, trying to calm myself down.

I wasn't entirely sure if Kabuto was worried or even concerned the slightest about me in my current state since he hadn't spoken a single word since I started tearing up.

"I'm all alone again. Orochimaru only cares about himself and his forbidden jutsu, you're too busy assisting him and serving him like a good lapdog, and Sasuke's only attention is his training and killing Itachi. I have no one." I whimpered softly, wiping off any remaining tears left on my face.

A moment later, I felt a pair of strong arms gently wrapping around me, pulling me against a strong chest. I was taken aback, but I stayed still as my trembling calmed down a bit. I didn't have to look up to see who dared to touch me without permission because there was only one person who would cross the line one too many times.

I had never thought in a million years that Kabuto would ever touch me in a comforting way, never mind hug me.

"K-Kabuto…" I stuttered bewilderedly. "W-Why are you—"

"Just let it slide for once, princess." He cut in nonchalantly. "I know you think you don't need me, but you do. You're hurting because of the guilt eating you up inside."

I was astonished by his defense. Not because he was probably lying about it, but because he didn't say it in a sarcastic way possible. He was actually concerned.

But why though.

I wanted his hands off me because the long amount of time hugging me was getting kind of awkward, but since I had so much emotion and anxiety built in my chest which was growing rapidly, my breathing started to quicken and I tried my very hardest to control my chakra and treat the problem before Kabuto noticed.

If it worked or not, I wouldn't know because everything went black after that moment.

* * *

My eyelids slightly lifted as my eyes peaked through them only to see a dark surface above me. Confused, I blinked until my eyes were almost wide open. I shifted my head downward to see a blanket hugging me completely as I laid on a comfortable mat with a soft pillow where my head was rested. I sat myself up and glanced at my new yet familiar surroundings, realizing that I was in the same tent me and Kabuto slept in last night.

How long was I sleeping for?

I gazed up at the tent window above my head to see the stars shining bright like jewels. Internally, I was baffled that I slept for that many hours whereas I sat there slightly groggy and curious. Then I remembered something: I don't recall being tired before I was unconscious. My hunch was that I was knocked out by a certain someone.

Damn that jerk, I knew there was a sneaky reason for hugging me when I was down.

I removed the blanket from my body and got up as I slowly walked towards the tent door. I unzipped it and popped my head out to examine the area. The campfire was the first thing that caught my attention then a certain male who sat near the golden flames, taking in the comforting heat, he wore the same night clothes like last night but he wasn't wearing his glasses this time. If I remembered correctly, I thought Kabuto looked better without his glasses because it took away the nerdy and psychopathic look.

"You're finally awake, I see." His calm voice made me wince, didn't notice that he saw me in the first place.

"Yeah, I am." I replied blankly, wasn't sure what else to say.

"Come and sit. You must be hungry after being unconscious for hours." He mused mockingly, waving me to sit.

Narrowing my eyes, I cautiously treaded towards him as his smile was still plastered on his face. He handed me a plate full of food similar to last night. I took it off his hands and sat across from him where the fire burned between the both of us. As I ate my food, I snuck a couple of glances at Kabuto who was probably reading or writing on a scroll. The thought of him comforting me when I was at my lowest didn't sit right for me. I wasn't referring to his manipulative behaviour, but the fact his thought wasn't about him nor Orochimaru.

What game was he playing?

"You should talk to him." I heard said person's voice in a suggesting matter.

I flinched slightly at his comment. "Who are you referring to? And tell him what?" I asked him in confusion.

"I'm 'referring' to Sasuke." He answered as he gazed up from the scroll he was reading. "And you should tell him what you told me earlier; he should know your take on it with this whole revenge thing."

I sat there dumbfounded; I didn't know what was crazier: Four eyes giving me advice or his actual advice. I was aware that Kabuto hadn't spoken to Sasuke mostly because Sasuke doesn't like him and he doesn't like talking _to_ him. But everyone knew that you don't have to talk to Sasuke to know that he wasn't the most considerate person. It was literally his way or no way.

"I can't talk to Sasuke without him being so stubborn and narrow-minded, and you know that as much as I do." I rebutted as I shook my head, seeing no possibility.

"He shouldn't be stubborn and narrow-minded towards his sister just because she doesn't really share the same ambitions in life as he does. He has to understand that he can't control you like a puppet." He frowned, not liking what I said.

"Oh, kind of like how Orochimaru is controlling you?" I shot back at him, surprised that he was being hypocritical. "At least Sasuke lets me have my freedom and dignity unlike your 'Lord' who just uses you and you follow him like a good little lapdog."

Kabuto flinched at my comment; he looked like he was stunned that I actually went ahead and said it like it was nothing. He narrowed his eyes as he threw an unpleasant glare directly at me; he seemed very offended.

"You're in no position to accuse me for being loyal to Lord Orochimaru when you know nothing." He sneered exasperatedly as he adjusted his glasses.

I scoffed at his remark. "It doesn't take a genius to know that you're simply a weak, hopeless, wimp who kisses one of the legendary sanin's ass to have some sort of honor under your name."

"Some big words from a futile, useless Uchiha." He seethed venomously.

I could literally hear his anger increase by the tone of his voice. I couldn't help but have fun with it.

"Oh, poor little Kabuto got his feelings hurt." I mocked in a sarcastic voice. "It's not my fault that you have no life whatsoever and that you're _so_ in love with Orochimaru."

I didn't notice his hands clenching into fists and his gritted teeth; I wasn't aware that I was genuinely pushing his buttons.

"That's all you have in life, a crush your 'precious' Lord. But the fact of the matter is that you're nothing in life but Orochimaru's b—"

I was immediately interrupted by a kunai thrown less than an inch from my face away, resulting me to freeze in shock. I heard the kunai hit a tree truck behind me half a second later as I remained there frozen; I was trying to process what just happened. A moment later passed when I felt a stingy pain on my cheek as I felt warm liquid running down my skin close to where the pain was.

"You know, you're such a nuisance and a spoiled little brat. You think you know every single thing about everyone. You and your brother are both the same: stuck-up, know-it-all, stubborn, emotional idiots that deserves to be punished. I shouldn't have saved you from Orochimaru when he was about to attack you; you deserve to beg for mercy and for your life." He hissed lividly, lifting himself onto his feet as he glared down at me coldly.

I said nothing as I lifted my hand and placed it softly where the pain laid on my cheek. I removed my hand and gazed at the liquid that now covered my fingertips. It was my blood I was staring at, meaning I have a deep cut on my cheek since it came with a bit of pain.

"You know nothing about me, you good-for-nothing princess. You're not the only person in the world who went through a lot since childhood; you have no idea what I've been through. So stop making people feel sorry about you because they have their own problems to deal with." He grumbled lowly as he continued to glare at me.

For no apparent reason, my body started to shiver at Kabuto's newly cold demeanor. He was annoying, obnoxious and even harsh at the most before, but right now, he was straight-up cold. It was because of that, it made me shake anxiously and I don't know why it does.

Said person snapped out of his enraged trance and saw my body shiver as I stared up at him blankly as if I was hypnotised. For a moment, he did nothing but watch me in confusion. Probably because he didn't really know what he said to me or he just wasn't thinking straight when he said what he said to me. Kabuto slowly made his way towards me and kneeled in front of me as he took a close look at me, specifically at my cut he inflicted on me. I wasn't sure what was going through his mind because he was furious just a minute ago and he snapped out when he saw me on the ground stunned at what I had just saw of him.

Kabuto then raised his hand and cupped my injured cheek which made me jump a bit; I was never comfortable of people touching me in an affectionate way since I had a problem of trusting people.

"Calm down." He soothed. "I never meant to hurt you."

After he assured me that he wasn't going to hurt me, I felt his warm chakra on my cheek as I could feel the cut diminishing; he was healing my wound he caused. It was flabbergasting that he went from angry to caring real quickly; what was with the change in attitude beats the heck out of me.

"The wound is almost gone." He pointed out, his focus remained solely on my cut.

Kabuto repaired my wounded tissue a moment after he remarked that my wound was almost healed and he dismissed his healing chakra. But for some reason, his hand still held my cheek but in a more comforting matter. Normally, I would slap his hand from my face and threaten his life for touching me but this was different this time. I mean, he wasn't being a jerk or a weirdo this time; he was touching me as if he _cared_ about me. Was it because he felt bad for giving me that cut when he never intentionally tried to hurt me? Maybe so, but I highly doubt it because he would've just apologized and leave it be. However he wasn't apologizing; he wasn't saying anything at all. All he was doing was holding my cheek as he gazed softly at me; it kind of looked like he mentally wasn't here in the real world right now.

Then, out of nowhere, he started to softly caress my cheek. His gentle touch sent shivers down my spine but I didn't let it show because no doubt Kabuto would sense that. He was making this more awkward than it should've been and I was counting the seconds until he just stopped. But secretly, I don't want it to stop. Four eyes might be a jerk and a nerd, but his touch was so chilling yet so wanting. Just his small touch on my check made me crave to know how his touch would feel all over my body. The need for his touch was crazy, I felt like I was simply losing it. I lifted my hand and softly gripped his hand— that was still stuck on my cheek – gently pressing it down on my tanned skin to feel the depths of his touch. I then slid my hand against his soft hand and slowly slipped my fingers between the spaces of his until they filled the spaces, resulting in me touching my own skin. I was surprised when he gave my fingers a soft squeeze and petted my cheek with his thumb.

Was he feeling the same way as I was?

It felt like it had been years, but Kabuto finally removed his hand from my face causing me to drop my hand since it was holding his. It kind of sucked to be honest; I couldn't help but feel disappointed. He then got up and gazed down at me as his body towered over me.

"We should probably go to bed now. It's getting late and we have to be prepared for tomorrow." He remarked in a dull tone.

"Uh, yeah sure." I stuttered unsurely; I wasn't really there when he spoke so I felt kind of gone.

He nodded at my judgement. "I'll put out the fire, you'll wash all the dirty dishes near that lake." He ordered calmly, taking charge of the situation.

Without saying another word, I blankly watched him as he started to do what he said he was gonna do. I didn't realize that my body overcame my mind and went over to pick up all the dirty dishes and slid my feet towards the lake. I scrubbed the food remnants off each plate until they were sparkly clean. I never thought washing all the plates would take this long; I never took into consideration as to how many plates we used. I also never considered how tired and sleepy I was until my body started to sway back and forth. I knew I had to keep by balance because I was near the surface of the lake and if I wasn't careful, I would fall right in. Unfortunately, I had no energy to keep myself up and felt myself falling forward as I was beginning to lose consciousness. Just before my body fell into the clear lake, I felt a pair of strong arms around me preventing me from falling any forward. My head was inches away from the water and I could only realize just remotely what was going on. Whoever had their grip on me, they carefully moved me away from the water surface and held me bridal style on the ground. With my groggy, blurry eyesight, I looked up and attempted to see the expression on Kabuto's face but failed because I was just so tired.

"You always seem to make everything more difficult when it shouldn't be." He huffed irritably, looking at my half-asleep face. "I shouldn't be always there to help you, you know."

"I-I never… asked for your help… bastard…" I mumbled exhaustedly, trying to stay awake as I spoke.

He sighed as he shook his head. "Leave it to you to be defensive even when you're half-asleep…"

Kabuto then carefully got up to his feet as he still held me bridal style and walked over to our tent. Since I was so tired and had no energy to move on my own, I had no choice but to allow him to carry me towards the tent. I laid my head comfortably on his toned chest where his heart was beating at a comforting pace, resulting me to snuggle against him. He tightened his grip as I did so as he carefully walked into the tent. He placed me on my sleeping mat then pulled a blanket up to my chin. He then sat there cross-legged, probably until I fell asleep.

He was the last thing I saw until I surrendered to my tiredness.

* * *

 **Hope you liked the chapter guys. Bye!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's a new chapter for you guys. I don't own Naruto though I wish I did.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: An Unwanted Mission (Part 3)**

I opened my eyes to the sounds of birds chirping as the sun shone directly at my face which was unpleasant. I gave out a deep yawn and turned to my side, only to get the slight heart attack. Kabuto was laying down just inches away from me, sleeping peacefully. His body rose and fell by his soft breathing as his tanned lips were parted from each other. I laid there frozen as I gazed deeply at his sleeping state; considering he wasn't wearing those nerdy glasses, wearing a more fitted shirt, his perfectly tanned skin was exposed, he looked dreamy.

I couldn't believe that I actually thought Kabuto Yakushi was dreamy. But I couldn't _help_ myself.

In fact, as I gazed dreamingly at him, I began having thoughts of what his lips would've felt like if they were locked with mine.

Suddenly, said male's eyes snapped open which made me jump a bit. My cheeks turned light pink in embarrassment; he just noticed that I was staring at him and drooling over him at the same time, and it was just so embarrassing. Then it hit me: Kabuto wasn't wearing his eyeglasses, meaning he was basically blind. If that was the case— and I prayed it was – then he wouldn't have ever known that I was staring at him in his sleep like a complete weirdo. But that doesn't take the awkwardness away due to the fact that he hadn't move since he opened his eyes. He was wide awake and had the freedom to get out of the tent and enjoy the morning sunshine, but no, he remained resting there on his side gazing back at me.

After having a long staring contest, Kabuto lifted himself off from his side as he reached for his glasses. Once he put them on, he sat cross-legged as he looked down at me as I laid there on my mat. I waited for him to say anything to me, but instead he just got up and exited out of the tent leaving me to lay there confused. Why was he silent all of a sudden?

Of all the times I told him to shut up, the memo finally reached to him and he decided to shut up for once.

But on a serious note, I was a little disappointed that he didn't say anything. I didn't know why but I just did.

Shaking that thought out of my head, I got up myself and slowly walked out of the tent. Once I stepped foot out of the exit, my eyes was caught on the sight of Kabuto who was already dressed and ready to go at any minute. His back was facing me as he was in a crouching position doing something that I had no clue of since I couldn't really see from where I was standing. He looked over his shoulder as his eyes were glued to me with no expression. I waited patiently for him as he stood up, not leaving his eyes off of me. He walked over to me with something he held in his hands. He stopped in front of me and handed whatever he was holding, which was three rice cakes prepared just for me. I glanced at him and he said nothing nor made any type of face to hint me what was going through his mind. Meanwhile, Kabuto remained standing there as he still held out the plate of food for me.

I had to take it or else this would be awkward for the both of us.

I awkwardly took the cakes out of his hands and he slid past me without making a single sound. I felt his shoulder slightly brush mine and I slowly peaked over my shoulder to see what he was going to do. I watched him place an empty scroll on the ground and made a few hand signs as I felt him focused strongly on his chakra. Suddenly the tent disappeared in a puff of smoke— explaining how he set up the site so quickly the first night – and then a seal on the scroll that read "tent" magically appeared in dark ink. I ate my rice cakes as I watched him rolled up the scroll securely then put it in his bag. It was that moment when he turned to me and I was eating my last rice cake. I had already packed my stuff in my small knapsack I was currently carrying on my back; I was ready whenever he was ready. He marched past me yet again without saying anything to me, and I chewed curiously. His attitude had changed since last night and the reason for that was drawn a blank. Nevertheless, I had to catch up to him because I was basically screwed if I was left alone in this forest so I hurried off after him as I bit the last part of my rice cake.

* * *

It was the fourth hour of herb hunting and we were doing a good job finding them despite them being super rare; at this rate, this mission would be completed in two to three days guaranteed, no promises included. However, four eyes doesn't seem as relieved as I was since he hadn't really said anything since this morning. I wasn't going to lie, that was a downer. I mean, I had ordered Kabuto to shut his mouth and crawl in a hole and the usual response I received was a witty comment or him just being straight-up annoying. In all honesty, I had said harsh things to him partly because he never really took it to heart. I wasn't saying that I missed his voice because I could live a normal, happy life without hearing his voice at all, but the fact that he wasn't talking to me like he usually did made me both curious and sort of concerned. I would've never thought that Kabuto on mute would be dull and boring.

I just had to know what was wrong with him.

"Hey, Kabuto." I called his name to get his attention.

But I received no response from him as he continued walking as if he never heard my voice in the first place. That made me irritated; I didn't like people who ignored me, especially if they had no reason to.

"Hey, four eyes!" I called him again, this time a bit louder and more demanding.

Four eyes remained silent as he walked on the path we were on. He looked on ahead, pretending that I didn't exist which now made me frustrated; he wasn't going to ignore and he wasn't going to start now. I tsked displeasingly and stomped ahead of him, getting no reaction from him. I abruptly stopped and stood in front of his way, resulting in him pausing his own steps. He stared at me expressionless which meant two thing: either he wasn't really looking at me but was zoning out to avoid the situation, or he had no thoughts whatsoever as to what I was doing.

I narrowed my eyes irritably. "Look, I tried my hardest to pretend nothing is off here but clearly you're not making this any easier for the both of us." I pointed out solidly.

Kabuto said nothing in response as he stood there like a robot. That wasn't okay with me and I moved myself closer to him, invading his personal space.

"You've been acting really weird, more than usually and I can't help but think that it has something to do with me." I implied thoroughly then I jabbed my index finger on his chest accusingly. "I don't like being ignored, especially by the likes of you."

He proceeded in keeping his mouth shut, but he did furrowed his eyebrows on my accusation.

"Whatever your deal is with me, you can't just dismiss me like a fly and expect me to go away because I _obviously_ can't. Now spill it, tell me what's your problem, and I don't want an answer that's full of bullsh**t." I demanded solidly, sharpening my glare.

I was taken aback when he soft swatted my hand from his chest.

"First of all, I don't like being poked." He finally spoke which felt like forever since the last time he said something.

But, he still hadn't answer my question.

"Bullsh**t." I spat in frustration. "Just tell me already, you jerk!"

"Why should I? It's not like you care anyway." He refused, furrowing his eyebrows.

I crossed my arms. "Actually, I kind of do." I admittedly grunted. "Because I know it has something to do with me."

Kabuto responded with silence; he was being stubborn and I saw no reason why he should.

"Is it the stuff I said last night?" I guessed curiously in a demanding tone. "Is that's what's bothering you?"

Kabuto's mouth remained shut, however his shoulders did twitch just a bit. That was probably what was bothering him because there was no other reason for him to react like he did other than the fact that I guessed the problem.

If that was the case, then that meant he was offended when I said those things last night which explained why he was so quiet and dull.

"I was right, you're like this because I offended you." I proclaimed smugly. "Huh, who would've thought… that Kabuto Yakushi's feelings are hurt by me?"

Said person's only response was his offended glare he threw at me; this solidified the fact that he was hurt.

I sighed as I dropped my shoulders. "Look, I wasn't really trying to hurt your feelings last night, okay? I didn't know those things would affect you that bad."

Hearing this, Kabuto's glare softened a bit but still stared at me hardly.

"But on my defense, I've always said things like that to you all the time and you've never took it to heart. I wasn't aware that you're—"

"You're wrong." He cut me off at an instant.

I took in his interruption as I waited for him to continue.

"The main reason I don't take your insults or your hatred for me to heart is because the things you say are true… because you know my intentions. Since you're aware of my actions towards you and your guard is always up, you know the kind of person I am. You're a very blunt, but honest person at the same time and I know you dislike me for the things I've done in the past to you and your friends, so I don't blame you…" He explained briefly as he placed a dull look on his face.

I blinked at his explanation. _'I kind of never looked at it in that way. I knew there was a reason why I don't necessarily like him. But I still don't understand his offense to my words.'_ I thought, slightly confused and curious.

"However, what you said last night…" He grumbled as I sensed the hiss in his voice. "You simply crossed the line for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you immediately attacked me by mocking me and Lord Orochimaru, when it had nothing to do with our conversation. I simply wanted to advise you to talk to Sasuke, but you got defensive and went onto a different topic. Secondly, you said that I have no life and I'm just Orochimaru's slave as if you knew everything about it."

"So you're not Orochimaru's loyal subordinate?" I questioned confusedly, still not comprehending what his problem was.

"Yes, I am and I'm not afraid to admit it. But I'm not his lapdog and I'm certainly not his b***h; that's how you perceive it when really… you don't know the depths of it." He answered accusingly.

The depths of it? What does he mean by that?

"Well then, what is it that I don't know?" I inquired coldly; my patience was growing thin.

Kabuto was silent for a moment, probably processing his answer for my question. He avoided eye contact with me as he glanced away. I squinted my eyes to catch a glimpse of his facial expression; I could've sworn I saw him biting down on his lower lip.

"You're not the only one who went through hell in the past… believe me…" He mumbled lowly, trying his hardest not to let me hear.

To his unfortunate, I was able to distinguish what he said to himself.

I furrowed my eyebrows in curiosity. "What do you mean by that? What are you trying to say?" I asked eagerly, wanting to know.

Once again, the jerk decided to keep his mouth shut once again. It got annoying to the point where I wanted to rip his lips from his face; there was no point in having a mouth if you decided not to use it.

"Kabuto, answer my question!" I snapped in exasperation.

He snapped his gaze back at me and threw me a sharp look. I was waiting for his response; hoping he would answer my question.

"This conversation ends here." I declared sternly, to my unfortunate.

I gaped at his sudden command as he proceeded in walking in the intended direction. He walked past me like I was a pole in the way. I gritted my teeth and glanced over my shoulder at the jerk. No way in hell he was getting the last word. I scurried towards him and reached over to grab his hand, which was a success. This stopped him from walking any further however he didn't bother looking at me the slightest; either it was because he didn't want to talk about his past or he was simply being stubborn.

"Hey, I told you not to ignore me didn't I?" I snapped in annoyance. "What did you mean when you said 'I wasn't the only one who went through hell'?"

Kabuto stood there still, not answering my question. I grew impatient and tightened my grip on his hand, urging him to cough up the truth.

"I'm not asking just because I want to know." I admitted. "I genuinely want to hear you backstory and… get to know you more."

Kabuto's body slightly relaxed when he heard my words. He side-glanced my way, trying to read my face to see if I was telling the truth which I was. I mean, I never thought twice about his past— in fact I honestly thought he never had a past because in my mind, he forgot it. I wasn't sure because I never thought twice about it, or because I thought he was basically adopted by Orochimaru— would've made sense.

But now that he hinted his past wasn't all that great, my curiosity got the best of me.

"I promise I won't judge you…" I added honestly, assuring him as he semi-turned his body towards me giving me a look.

"But it's none of your concern, so you shouldn't—." He was suddenly cut off by the sound of metal, which resulted us to react quickly.

All of a sudden, a barrage of kunai and shuriken were thrown towards our direction. Both Kabuto and I flashed out our own kunai, blocking and dodging every single one of them easily. Once the enemy halted its attack, we stood there with our guards up very high; consider the fact we almost got caught in that jutsu, the enemy shouldn't be taken lightly. Kabuto glanced around our surroundings, trying to find the enemy. Meanwhile, I was using my sensory ninjutsu to find the enemy. It didn't took that long to find the enemy since they were dumb to not disguise their chakra.

"Kabuto, they're over there!" I exclaimed as I pointed my finger towards our left.

Nodding, said person immediately threw his barrage of weapons in the direction my finger was pointing, forcing the enemy to reveal themselves. They dodged his attack and landed in front of us, and I instantly noted that they were from the Hidden Leaf Village, my birth village. I gritted my teeth in distress; what the hell was the Leaf want with us? I gazed deeply at their headbands, remembering the memories of myself being one of them.

"Snap out of it, Katsumi!" I heard a familiar voice call out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I rotated my head and saw Kabuto staring at me hardly; his eyes told me to stay focused. I comprehended this and glared at our enemy. By the looks of it, there were eight Leaf shinobi in front of us. But I wasn't certain because the Leaf always planned ahead so there was probably more of them still hiding somewhere around here; either as reinforcement or as ambush.

"What are you Leaf ninja doing here, lurking around this area?" Kabuto questioned demandingly, holding out his kunai.

"By orders of the Hokage, we are here to gain information about Orochimaru's whereabouts and his motives." One of the Leaf chunin declared. "We are here to capture the one known as Katsumi Uchiha for Intel."

I raised one eyebrow confoundedly; why did the Leaf only wanted me for information on Orochimaru? It made no sense because I don't really have a clue what he was up to since he was always secretive, and also I couldn't really care less since I would rather be in the dark than get busted by the enemy for plotting schemes. That said, it would've made more sense if they were after Kabuto and not me since he was his loyal assistant. I don't see any reason why they were after me.

Or maybe that wasn't their true ambition.

"And why does the likes of you Leaf shinobi want only Katsumi?" Kabuto proceeded in questioning them, his patience growing thin by the second.

I had never seen Kabuto so snappy before; he was always cool and collected and smug when he was facing an enemy. But his attitude right now changed, making the temperature drop a little.

"Considering how she was forced out of her own village by her brother, we figured that she would willingly come back with us and give us all the information we need to take Orochimaru down." Another Leaf chunin replied, taking out a kunai of his own.

Kabuto moved his attention towards me, probably thinking if whether I would actually consider going back to the Leaf. I knew that my heart would always be with the Leaf Village, and that I missed my family living within it. Besides, I was alone since leaving the village and it sometimes made me feel depressed, and Kabuto knew that. He knew that I didn't want to live in the depths of darkness any longer and I would do anything to get out but I couldn't all because of Sasuke. Why would I sacrifice so much for Sasuke anyway? All he was doing was hurting everyone who cared about him so much, including me. We barely talked and he doesn't really acknowledge me anymore; he probably wouldn't mind me leaving as long as he got his revenge on Itachi.

Still, I don't think it was a smart move to willingly give in and go back to the village. Firstly, Orochimaru despised the Leaf and he would do anything to bring it down along with its people; if I were to head back, he would despise me too and possibly kill me for my betrayal. Secondly, even if I were to return to the Leaf, I would have to face consequences for leaving the border without the Leaf's consent; knowing Lady Tsunade, she wouldn't hold back any punishment at all. Thirdly, I wouldn't be able to face all of my closest friends and mentors since I backstabbed them for Sasuke, especially Squad 7. Kakashi might understand my circumstances but would still be disappointed in me since he told me to be my own person. Sakura was a forgiving person, but she would probably not trust me again for ditching her. Naruto, on the other hand, had a heart of gold and he wasn't the type of person who would hold anything against his friends; his spirit and personality was so pure and I don't deserve his friendship. And finally, I highly doubt living there again wouldn't be the same because I lost almost everyone's respect.

I wasn't really considering it, to be honest. But I wasn't refusing either.

"You're right, I was forced out of the Leaf by my own brother." I confirmed their theory, gaining everyone's attention.

I also gained Kabuto's attention, waiting to hear my decision nervously.

"But that doesn't give you the right to think that I would go back willingly." I proclaimed hardly, glaring at the team in front of me. "Whether I like it or not, I'm no longer with the Leaf; I'm considered a rogue ninja now so I'm not going anywhere."

I could feel Kabuto's eyes slightly widened after hearing my response; surely he wasn't expecting this coming out of my mouth. I glanced at him briefly, seeing his blank but stunned look on his face as he returned the glance.

"Where did that come from?" He asked curiously, still taken back by my response.

"Regardless my grudge against you, Kabuto." I glanced over at the enemy as I threw a cold glare. "I don't betray my companions, especially a fellow medic ninja. That's what I learned from living in the Leaf."

"Katsumi…" I heard him breathe my name in awe, gazing at me.

"Lady Katsumi, the Hokage ordered us to do whatever it takes to get you away from Orochimaru, even by death." The jonin of the team stated firmly; possibly the captain of this mission. "If you don't surrender, we won't hold back."

"That's awfully cocky coming from the likes of you." I slightly scoffed, narrowing my eyebrows. "Do you have any clue who you're dealing with?"

The captain gasped when he caught a glimpse of my hands cloaked with my chakra. He knew what was coming, I thought as I smirked.

"Everyone, be careful of Katsumi's chakra scalpel! She's one of the few medic ninja who uses this as offense due to its high precision in fatal blows. Unlike others, she can cut through almost anything in her path, making this one of her deadliest jutsu. Even the slightest of cuts can kill you, so stay on your toes." The captain warned his comrades, causing the others to be more cautious.

Hearing the captain speak about my exceptional abilities made my smirk stretch wider. "I'm flattered that you praised me even after I fled the village." I sarcastically responded as my chakra sharpened my chakra scalpel, making my jutsu more erratic.

In a split second, I was standing in front of one of the chunin and I slapped my chakra-covered hand against his chest, resulting in blood flowing out of his mouth. His comrades watched in horror as I used my chakra to push him with force as his body flew until it crashed against a tree causing him to cough out more blood. He shouted and scream in pain as he hugged his chest tightly. His team stared at their injured comrades in shock and confusion, they had no clue what happened and they were lost as to what they should do to help them.

"It's hopeless now. There's nothing you can do to save him." I mused lowly.

"W-What did you do to him?!" One of the chunin yelled angrily, showing his newly found hate towards me.

"I simple pierced his airway in his chest, preventing him to breath." I answered willingly, seeing there was no hope for him. "He'll suffocate and choke on his own blood until he's dead."

"Katsumi, how you've fallen…" The captain seethed lividly. "You were once known and respected as one of the strongest kunoichi in the Land of Fire. And now you've teamed up with Orochimaru and partnered up with that damned Kabuto. There's no hope for you now that you killed one of your own."

I remained silent and I turned my attention towards the chunin I recently injured, watching him as he was desperate for oxygen.

"Just because I killed one person in which he was my enemy, doesn't make me a criminal. And I'm no longer with the Leaf, so it doesn't matter if he or all of you died in front of me." I replied firmly, sharpening my glare at the captain. "Besides, it's not like I care about being a criminal to begin with since you now mentioned it… but it's more like self-defence since you guys can't take the hint that I don't want to go back to the village."

The chunin who stood around their injured teammate watched in sorrow as they watched him take his final breath and died in front of them.

"Sir, he's dead! We've lost one of our men!" One of the chunin shouted in horror.

The captain briefly turned to his now dead teammate, then turned to me as he threw me a nasty glare.

"You will pay for this!" He growled as he flashed out his sword. "Get ready men!"

"Yes sir!" The team replied in unison, pulling out their weapons for battle.

I continued to stand there calmly as I released my jutsu, resulting in my chakra scalpel to disappear; there was no point to waste my chakra on people who don't stand a chance against me. As I waited for them to make a move, I winced in question when I noticed two of the chunin were taken down by the looks of nothing. Their comrades noticed this two and gazed down at their now dead men in horror. I could understand why since it happened out of nowhere, but I was more curious as to who was the culprit.

"Did you suddenly forget that you too have a teammate with you?" A very familiar voice chuckled softly in which the owner of the voice now stood beside me. "Or are you just so used to doing things on your own?"

I briefly glanced at Kabuto, who he had already activated his own chakra scalpel. Then I immediately figured who was behind of the death of two of those chunin who fell not too long ago.

"So, you were the one who magically killed those two?" I presumed nonchalantly, earning his signature grin.

"You catch on quick, princess." He commented playfully, lifting his hand to show off his scalpel made up of his chakra.

"So, I assume you decided to not hold anything against me for the stuff I said about you." I implied in wonder.

"I guess you could put it that way." He allowed dismissively, eyeing at our opponents.

The captain wasted no time throwing the first move, directly towards Kabuto. His team followed suit by targeting me; it was obvious that they were trying to outnumber me and keep Kabuto busy so they could capture me. That wasn't going to happen, so I decided to have a little fun with them just for my amusement. They all threw their attacks simultaneously, desperately trying to hit me, which they failed miserably as I dodged every single one of their throws easily and gracefully. I briefly looked over to see how Kabuto was doing and smirked to see him facing the captain head-on; I shouldn't be worried because Kabuto was quite powerful, and that was coming from me.

The chunin I was facing held back on their attack and I watched panting in exhaustion as they were eyeing me hardly, seeing that their plan didn't work since they did lay a scratch on me; hell I wasn't even remotely tired, it was as if I just stood up and didn't move at all.

"Dammit, none of our attacks touched her!" One of the chunin huffed frustratingly, gritting his teeth.

"What are going to do now? She's outnumbered but she isn't even breaking a sweat!" Another chunin added worriedly.

"Here's a tip for you weaklings." I spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "Don't state the obvious out loud, it makes you guys look more stupid and it's sad. On a similar note, don't make your plans obvious… not that it matters anyway because you don't stand a chance."

"Shut up! We're not done yet!" One of them snapped angrily.

They moved themselves until they stood side by side and they all made the same hand sign then they did a series of other hand signs in unison, raising my curiosity. Once they did their last sign, they threw a couple of shuriken which didn't faze me at all. What sort of fazed me was the number of shuriken thrown towards me suddenly increased. Then it hit me, this was the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique; dodging this technique would be a bit trickier.

"Ha, we've got her now! There's no way to dodge all of them since they're travelling in all different directions!" I heard one of the chunin implied smugly, clearly getting his hopes up too high.

Since it was a spilt second, it was hard to tell what happened next since I was basically moving at the speed of sound. But the next thing I knew, broken shuriken pieces were scattered around me on the ground and I stood there still and unharmed, earning all the gasps of shock and awe from my opponents.

"How…? She was able to dodge and block every single one of them." The leaf chunin gapped appallingly.

I smirked to myself. "Clearly you've forgotten one thing about me." I then opened my eyes to reveal my activated Sharingan.

"It's the Sharingan…" Another chunin gapped in total shock.

"I'm one of the survivors of my clan's assassination… I am an Uchiha." I proclaimed proudly, causing all of my opponents to be more nervous than before.

"W-What are we going to do now!? Nothing is working on her… if this keeps up, we're done for!" A third chunin stated in a shaking tone.

"Indeed, you're right." I nodded in confirmation, making hand signs of my own in a spilt second. "You had your turn, now it's mine!"

"Everyone watch out for her jutsu!" One chunin shouted anxiously as they all watched me focusing my chakra until they were visibly cloaking my hand.

I grinned as I took out a small scroll from my pouch and summoned my favourite shuriken: the Demon Wind Shuriken. As I changed my own chakra into my own chakra nature, I infused it with my chakra nature as I spun the shuriken gracefully with one hand. I continued to spin the Demon Wind Shuriken as my wind chakra cloaked it making the blades fine and sharp for a fatal attack.

"Heh, Wind Style: Demon Wind Cutter Jutsu!" I called out my jutsu as I jumped high in the air and used my strength to launch the wind-infused shuriken at the Leaf squad.

"Everyone get away now!" One of them shouted in horror and all of them did so as they said, except for one idiot.

Instead of dodging my Demon Wind, he took out a kunai knife and blocked the shuriken from touching him. Unfortunately for him, his block didn't stop my precious weapon because of my wind chakra finely sharpening the blades as it spun; it couldn't be stopped unless I stopped it, he was good as dead. Apparently, his team knew of his and were worried to death about the situation he was in and couldn't get out of.

"You fool, what are you doing!? You'll die if you don't get away from that shuriken!" One of the chunin shouted at his companion's stupidity.

"Don't worry, it's just a shuriken. I'll be fine once its speed decreases." He assured his team as his attention was on the shuriken sawing on his kunai.

After a little while, I could distinctly tell he was confused and frightened because of the shuriken not slowing down at all.

"What the hell!? Why isn't it slowing down!?" He asked in horror, losing his cool and replacing it with fear.

"You just don't get it, do you?" I sighed tiredly as I used a bit of chakra to relieve the gravity on my body, causing me to float in air. "My Demon Wind is infused with my wind chakra nature, a chakra nature that makes chakra as thin and sharp as possible. This takes keen precision to cutting and slashing damage."

"No way, wind chakra nature!?" My soon-to-be victim repeated in a stuttering tone, watching his kunai slowly being cut through by my Demon Wind.

"With this, I could infuse this chakra into my weapons to finely sharpen them, giving them the ability to cut through anything in its path." I concluded proudly, throwing a microscopic grin.

It didn't take long for my shuriken to completely cut through his kunai, resulting my shuriken to also cleanly slit his arms right off. His excruciating screams echoed within the treetops as blood squirted out of his wound where his arm was once there. He started feeling light-headed and he then fell onto the earth's surface. A moment past when he finally succumbed to his injuries, dying from extreme blood loss.

I watched his comrades stare blankly at one of their dead friend's body. "No not another one… this can't be happening…"

"Oh yes, it's happening all right…" I commented broadly and made another series of hand signs.

"Those hand signs, don't tell me it's…" A chunin gasped, already caught on to my next jutsu.

I inhaled deeply as I focused my chakra to my chest. 'Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!' I called forth another jutsu in my mind.

A huge ball of red fire was blown out of my mouth and launched down towards the rest of the Leaf chunin. They did nothing to block this jutsu; they just stood there in awe and dismay. I watched my fire jutsu burst into flames, burning the trees and bushes. It didn't take a long time for the fire to extinguish itself from existence, resulting in a wider, greater clearing the chunin once stood. I turned my slightest attention to where Kabuto and the captain of that team still butted heads; I also noticed that both men suffered only cuts and scratches.

"I wonder what's taking Kabuto so long to defeat the captain." I thought aloud to myself suspiciously. "Not underestimating him, but it shouldn't be difficult to take him down for Kabuto. What's going on?"

Then, I realized that there was no burnt corpses of my opponents. I don't sense there chakra well, but I assumed they were dead. Something wasn't feeling right. Then a light bulb went off in my head: their target was never me to begin with, their true target was Kabuto all along. It made sense because unless that was their motive, there was no point for the dominant ninja in the team to fight someone who wasn't their interest. Now that they thought that I believed I finished them, they were now going to outnumber Kabuto.

I had to warn him or else he was done for.

"Kabuto!" I shouted loudly which instantly gained his attention as he pushed his opponent off of him.

"The guys I was fighting just a moment ago, they're after you! Their plan was to keep me busy so they could gang up on you from the very beginning! Watch out!" I warned by shouting so he could hear since I was still in the air.

I could distinctly see the shock and newly-found horror in his eyes as he gasped. Unfortunately it was too late for him to process this information.

"It's too late now!" The captain smirked cockily and made a tiger-seal hand sign. "Everyone, do it NOW!"

The chunin that I thought I killed pounced out of the bushes, also making tiger-seal hand signs. They landed in their position, surrounding Kabuto completely. Said person looked back and forth at his surroundings as the stress and anxiety in his face increased; though he was still able to remain calm and prepared to defend himself. He laid his eyes on the captain, throwing him a nasty look in which he responded with a cocky grin.

"You're finish!" He chuckled as everyone surrounding Kabuto focused their chakra and activated their jutsu.

I gasped appallingly, sensing the change in chakra form around Kabuto, which raised my fear. "Kabuto, get out of there now!"

"Too late!" The captain shouted in response.

Kabuto too realized that he was screwed when he couldn't move due to being bounded by metal threads. He was good as dead.

"Lightning Style: Earth Shock Wave Jutsu!" They called forth their jutsu in unison and slammed their hands on the ground.

The next thing I knew, there were lightning bolt waves dashing on ground level directly towards Kabuto. He eyed the lightning in horror, seeing where this was going. The second the jutsu hit him, I could only hear his piercing screams of unbearable pain that could be heard miles and miles away from the clearing. I gazed down at him as he was literally being electrocuted helpless as I felt an overwhelming sensation building up in my chest.

"KABUTO, NO!" I shrieked in distress, watching him as he was being shocked hopelessly.

Kabuto proceeded in screaming his lungs out in pain. I could've never thought that witnessing this could be this horrifying, and I would've never thought that I actually cared about Kabuto's wellbeing. All this time, I always thought of him as a nuisance and I wished his presence would disappear from the face of this earth. But actually witnessing his possible death really hit me hard; I was surprisingly scared that I might lose him. And the fact that this made me so overwhelmed to the point where my tears were begging to pour out, made me realize that I genuinely want him around.

Finally, the jutsu was dismissed and his torture came to an end. Unfortunately for Kabuto, this resulted a lot of damage and I knew for a fact he sustained harsh injuries; he looked like he was on the verge pf dying. He stood there as his legs struggled to keep himself standing. I was caught off guard when the Leaf Squad threw a couple of kunai which stabbed almost every single part of his body, earning another painful scream from Kabuto. I watched anxiously as his body fell lifelessly on the ground. My mind literally went blank as I stared at his still body; I couldn't process what happened that moment because I didn't want it to sink in. I snapped out of my trance when I noticed that the enemy picked up his body harshly and bounded him with sealed ropes and tags so he couldn't dare move. When they finished bounding their victim by taping a seal on his mouth, the captain looked up and threw me a cold smirk.

"Remember, you're the one that caused this." He shrugged calmly. "You could've prevented this if you listened like a good little girl and return to the Leaf. Now, you're precious boy paid the price and you're the only one to blame."

"You… bastard…" I grumbled lividly, clenching my fists in rage.

He only snickered at my rage. "Listen, I'll make you a deal." He offered nonchalantly. "If you willingly give yourself in and return to the Leaf, we'll let your friend go."

"And if I say no?" I inquired suspiciously, seeing where he was getting at.

"Then, he'll die on your behalf." He answered simply with no expression.

"Who knew you Leaf ninja can play dirty?" I sarcastically hissed. "You're no good as I am."

The captain dismissed my insult and then made a hand sign with one hand. "We expect your answer later today. Once the deadline is reached, the deal's off." He concluded, notifying that he and his team was leaving.

I immediately caught on to this and glide rapidly towards them. "You bastards aren't going anywhere!" I spat as I instantly activated my chakra scalpel.

But alas, they got away the second I reached ground level. I growled in frustration towards myself, pissed off that I allowed them to slip from my grasp along with Kabuto. This was the last thing I wanted to happen, and to make matters worse, we were still in the process of completing this mission for Orochimaru in which I had no interest in doing it to begin with. Now my new mission was to save Kabuto from the Leaf ninja, which wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

The only reason they captured Kabuto in the state he was in was solely because their only person in interest was me, and not him. And they figured that if they took him into custody, I would willingly give myself up for him and return to the Leaf. But how could I be sure if he was telling the truth? If anything, he would break the deal and kill Kabuto right then and there and kidnap me and take me back to the village. I wasn't so certain about that either. If I believed that was the case, then I would be risking Kabuto's life, who had no part in this dilemma whatsoever; it wouldn't be fair for his life to be thrown for no reason. And in all honesty here, I actually started to grow fond of him. I don't know when, but it was probably when he mentioned to himself that he too went through a lot in his past, which made me feel both sympathy and empathy for him.

" _You're not the only one who went through hell in the past… believe me…"_ Those exact words of his repeated in my mind which stuck to me as a reminder that I wasn't alone.

After hearing that, I felt that he and I felt a connection; a similar connection of pain and sorrow. He hinted that he knew how I felt, and I couldn't help but thought that he felt the same way I did and experienced things that shouldn't be experienced by anyone. We were both victims of this corrupted world and we couldn't get out because we ordered to stay and suffer in society.

Knowing that he felt the same way made me want to get closer to him and get to know him better.

Which was why I couldn't let him die. He too was a victim of ninja society, and he doesn't deserve to die. We could both start anew together and erase the events that had happened and only focus on the future; we both deserve to know our true potential in life.

I had made my decision.

I used my chakra to once again release the gravity on my body which caused my body to fly in the air. I then drifted briskly through the branches as I used my Sensory ninjutsu to locate the enemy who held Kabuto captive. I was prepared the consequences I might face if things didn't go the way I planned them to. The only thing on my mind was saving Kabuto from the verge of death.

' _I'm coming, so you better not die on me… Kabuto…'_ I thought hopefully to myself, praying for my partner to stay alive.

My Sharingan automatically activated on its own as its crimson red colour flashed strongly.

* * *

 **And that's the end of Chapter 6! So the next chapter or the chapter after the next would probably be the end of their mission. We'll see. Well, until next time guys!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's Chapter 7! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: An Unwanted Mission (Part 4)**

For rookies like these guys, they were good in covering their tracks; they were lucky I wasn't the Sensory Type ninja. Despite that, I was able to locate them and Kabuto in which they were in another clearing a few miles away from the previous clearing. I slowly walked into the clearing as they all eyed me hardly as well as I did vice versa. I was mostly eyeing at Kabuto's current state in front of me, which doesn't look good. His body remained with burns and scratches from that Lightning Style jutsu he received and I could from where I was that his body was also covered in deep kunai wounds. His blood pumped heavily out of his wounds as it created a puddle around him; him soaking on his own blood was a dangerous sign that he wasn't gonna make it in this state. I took into note that it had been a few hours since the moment the Leaf kidnapped Kabuto, meaning there was a chance that he could've caught a dangerous infection possibly with all of those opened wounds. I knew Kabuto's immune system was above average, but even something like this could cause some serious effects.

For some reason, seeing Kabuto like this built rage and adrenaline within my chest.

I showed my displeasure of the way they treated someone like this as I received a scoff from the damn captain.

"So, did you finally make a decision yet?" The captain questioned smugly as he positioned his sword near Kabuto's neck. "Remember, it determines whether he'll live or die."

I clenched my teeth tightly, containing my anger. Once I relaxed, I took a deep breath in then out.

"I surrender." I simply answered, earning sighs of awe from his comrades. "I'll go back to the Leaf willingly."

"Smart move, little girl." The captain grinned cockily, slightly dropped his sword.

"On one condition." I added solidly, then earning gasps of shock.

"What do you mean 'on one condition'?" He repeatedly irritably.

"You let me have Kabuto first so I can heal him." I clarified calmly, ignoring his annoyance towards me.

He tsked at my wish. "Forget it! That wasn't part of the deal!" He snapped impatiently.

"But it wasn't specified." I pointed out simply. "Knowing you guys, you probably had one of your comrades turn into Kabuto to trick me and cause a diversion to knock me out then take me back to the Leaf in that state."

The captain remained quiet as I continued. "And even if that over there is Kabuto, his body is exposed to contract dangerous infections and such, since you heartless jerks never batted an eye on his health. It's only fair that I treat my companion."

I could see the rage and annoyance on his face as he clenched his fists. The reason for this had nothing to do with me because he was the only one at fault for putting everyone in this situation; if he had just treat Kabuto's wounds, this would've been done a lot sooner. Unfortunately that couldn't be helped right now. Finally, the captain huffed loudly and nodded in defeat.

"Alright fine, you can treat your friend." He agreed hesitantly, then threw a glare at me. "But not completely. We don't want him disturbing our duties."

I had a blank expression on my face when he interjected that one detail. "Fine, whatever. Just let me see him over there." I repeated impatiently.

He nodded and moved aside to let me pass by him. As I kneeled down in front of my partner, the Leaf team stood around the both of us for caution. It wasn't helping at all; it made me feel I was in a stuffy room and I was the type of person who liked personal space. I glared up at the captain to give him the hint that I felt uncomfortable in which he of course shrugged it off and dismissed my glare; for Leaf ninja, they were total jerks at the very least. I started using my medical ninjutsu to examine Kabuto's condition, and I could feel all of their eyes on me as they watched my every movement. My anxiety grew higher and higher as seconds then minutes went by.

I would say it was minute ten when the captain lost his patience and snapped.

"Why are you taking so long!? We don't have all day!" He spat exasperatedly as his body was towering over me.

"Then just take a nap to pass time." I commented lowly, mostly to myself but apparently some of them overheard me.

"What do you mean by that?" The captain questioned suspiciously, examining my movements carefully.

I glanced up at his squad that were standing over me with my Sharingan already activated as I gazed at them, receiving gasps of shock and confusion.

"Just what are you—?" He was immediately cut off by his appalled facial expression.

His comrades realized this and moved their attention towards their leader.

"Sir, are you okay? What's the matter?" One of the chunin asked concernedly, receiving no answer from him.

"What the hell? Why isn't he answering?" The second chunin asked in fear, getting more nervous by the second.

I noticed that one of the other chunin were glaring down at me, in which I couldn't care less.

"You! What the hell did you do?" He seethed in question, wanting an answer from me.

So I graciously gave him an answer.

"It's his fault for not knowing when to shut up." I answered smugly, raising even more suspicion within their team.

Then, they all mocked the same reaction as their captain had. The next thing I knew, I was around a group of human-fleshed statues. Idiots, they remembered my honorable talents in medical ninjutsu, but they forgot that I was also an expert in genjutsu. They should've known easily since Itachi Uchiha was my mentor/trainer, and they had to learn that the hard way. I shook my head in fake disappointment and made a hand sign as I focused my chakra. I activated my chakra scalpel once again and easily brought down the group of Leaf shinobi, resulting in me sitting in a pool of unconscious bodies and blood.

I then took Kabuto's still body and removed all of the sealed bounds that restricted his movement. Once I removed the sealed tag covering his mouth, I held him close in my arms as I gazed at his unconscious face. A bit of weight was lifted off my shoulders when I noted he wasn't in so much pain. I also noted that he wasn't wearing his glasses and I immediately looked around for it until my eyes landed on a pair of glasses which were laying on the ground near one of the chunin; they had probably confiscated it just in case Kabuto tried to escape. I carefully reached over to grab the glasses as I still held Kabuto. I put them in my weapon pouch for safe keeping and then used my strength to get on my feet while still holding my partner.

I wasn't going to lie, he wasn't light at all and I wasn't implying he was fat because he wasn't at all. Possibly because he had a lot of muscle? That thought made me slightly blush and somehow made it easier for me to carrying him. I then jumped on a high tree branch and briefly glanced over at my deceased enemy with no emotion whatsoever. Turning away and holding Kabuto in bridal style— which was sort of ironic –and swiftly moved through the branches as I reminded myself that we still had a mission that was yet to be completed.

However my main concern was Kabuto's health.

* * *

I was sitting comfortably on my knees as an injured Kabuto laid still in front of me on a sleeping mat within our tent. Luckily, I was able to mimic the hand signs to summon our tent from that scroll I had seen Kabuto using. I had my medical bag sitting right beside me for his treatment I was about to perform. Just before I was about to begin healing him, I had to remove his shirt since his injuries were too great and it involved full examination and treatment. With that in mind, I took out a kunai knife and slowly cut through his upper clothing until I was able to slip his shirt from him without causing more damage. When I took a good look at his wounds, my mind decided it wanted to focus on something else.

Even with the deep wounds, cuts, and burns on his torso which was covered in blood, I could still distinctly see his toned, tanned, masculine body he had underneath his baggy clothes. I knew he was heavy for a reason, and this was the proof to my hypothesis. The sight of his toned body and his perfectly tanned face without his glasses made my mouth slightly water; I was simply dazing over his amazing figure, almost forgetting the fact he needed medical attention. But the sight of him in front of me was so mesmerizing to the point where my heart was pounding rapidly for him. It even made me feel slightly lightheaded which said something about me: I was such a girl; I kind of understand how Sakura and Ino drooled over Sasuke because of this. Although I wasn't sure if either of them saw Sasuke topless, the slight I was seeing was something they would dread for.

Finally after a year of drooling, I snapped out of my trance and obtained my focus once again. I then got started treating Kabuto by first checking if he contracted any infections or bacteria through his opened wounds which he luckily didn't. But for a precaution, I injected him with a needle that contained antibiotic liquid so that he wouldn't carry nothing harmful until he was completely healed. Then came the hard part: healing his physical wounds. I wasn't saying it was hard because it was hard but because the extent of his injuries and the amount of it he endured. Plus, he suffered internal injuries, which made it more complicated for me; it would take a lot more chakra than any other treatments I had done before to heal Kabuto.

I had no choice; if I don't do it, it would take a while for Kabuto to full recuperate even with his Yin Healing Wound Destruction ability.

I knew what I had to do so I had to prepare for the consequences I would receive later. Taking a deep breath, I placed my hands on his chest as focused my chakra to my hands until a bright light-coloured chakra was visible. As I treated his deep slits and gashes on his chest, I noticed how slowly the muscle tissues were repairing. It came as a slight surprise since my medical ninjutsu was very advance and effective and the fact that his wound weren't regenerating as fast as usually, it meant that his injuries were much more fatal than I originally thought.

It took a while but I finally managed to fully repair all of his muscle and skin tissues. I sat comfortably down on my knees as I sighed tiredly; this was the longest extensive treatment I had done in a long time. Now that his torso was treated into perfect condition, my next task was to treat his limbs which also took a lot of chakra. Regardless, I brushed the annoyance aside and activated my medical ninjutsu again and treated both arms and legs until they were completely healed. I moved away from my patient to see the final results which happened to be perfect; his body was literally good as new. I vaguely examined him one more time to see if any internal damage that needed to be tended, but I didn't sense anything wrong with him; he was all healed up.

I couldn't help but smile gladly at that; I felt more relaxed and secured now that Kabuto was okay. It was probably because I now don't have to explain to Orochimaru how Kabuto died on me since the situation was already awkward enough. But nevertheless, I could breathe now that he was no longer in pain. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain piercing through my head causing me to feel a bit light-headed as I used both of my hands to keep me from falling on the ground. Sweat dropped off of my forehead as my head hung weakly, forcing me to stare down on the ground. It doesn't surprise me that I was this tired after constantly using chakra today for two battles and extensive treatment on my partner. If anything, I was surprised that I hadn't fell unconscious or even fainted.

But I couldn't just take a nap right now; there were things still need to be done. I reached over to my medic bag and took out a big role of bandages. I moved myself closer to Kabuto and carefully wrapped the bandages around his torso until it covered his entire abdomen. Then I wrapped the bandages around his upper right arm and his lower left arm. I finished it off by gently wrapping his forehead with bandages and tied it tightly. I threw the role aside and gazed at Kabuto's current state for no particular reason.

After staring daggers at four eyes got boring, I went through his bag and took out the scroll that had the list of medicinal herbs Orochimaru requested. I then realized that out of the twenty-two rare herbs that were needed, we had collected sixteen of them; meaning we needed six more to complete our mission. We were so close to finishing this mission, it really sucked that Kabuto wasn't able to move due to injury. I could just wait here until he was able to search for herbs again, but that could take a while since he wasn't even conscious at the moment. Then there was the idea that I should just go find them on my own and leave Kabuto here to rest, but that would be time-consuming since these herbs were really rare and the fact that I was alone on this made it even more difficult. But I really wanted to get this mission over with and do something that I actually wanted to do. So I had to go and do this on my own.

With that in mind, I gathered all of my weapons and my other belongings into one bag then I lifted my bag and placed it on my back securely. I picked up the scroll with the list of herbs from the ground and placed it safely in my weapon pouch. I was ready to go at any time until I realized it was getting a bit chilly in the tent; the wind started changing its behaviour resulting in the slight drop in temperature. I knelt down next to Kabuto and reached over to grab one of the folded blankets in the corner he was laying at. I unfolded it as I placed it on top of Kabuto until it covered him from the neck down. I then stared down at his peaceful, sleeping face blankly as I assured myself that nothing else was going to happen to him during my absence.

I allowed my hand to reach to his face and gently hold his cheek, similarly how he did it to me last night.

"I'm the only one now who can complete this mission, so I'm heading out to do just that." I told him softly as my thumb rubbed his cheek just as soft as my voice.

I shut my eyes as I was holding back the overwhelming feeling in my chest then opened them to reveal my crimson Sharingan eyes as they stared down at my comrade.

"So, don't get yourself into any more trouble, okay?" I demanded hardily, blindly glaring at him.

Without wasting any more time, I got up and walked out of the tent leaving Kabuto laying there unconsciously on the sleeping mat with a thick blanket covering his whole body. I was about a meter away from the tent, then I weaved some hand signs. I used a bit of my chakra to activate a genjutsu barrier that I learned years ago by Itachi; it was a protective barrier used to keep enemies away from a certain area and they would be trapped in a genjutsu if they dared to go anywhere near it. With this, I felt comfortable by the fact that Kabuto wouldn't be ambushed or bothered now if this barrier was up. Nodding in satisfaction, I swiftly turned and started treading through the forest greens, in search for the remaining rare herbs. This could go either way now that I was the only herb hunter left out of the two.

I wondered how many plants I could acquire before Kabuto woke up. I prayed for all six because I wanted this mission to be done already.

* * *

 **Sorry for the short chapter all of a sudden. Anyway, hope you guys are enjoying my fanfic so far. I'll see you soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**If I'm correct, this is the last chapter for this mission. Anyway, here's Chapter 8!**

 **Oh, and most importantly! I normally don't do shoutouts or anything but I really wanna give a HUGE shoutout to lizyeh2000! She's been such a BIG supporter of my fanfic and always takes her time to review every single chapter of mine. So thanks so much, girl! This one is especially for you, lizyeh2000!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: An Unwanted Mission (Part 5)**

 **Kabuto's POV:**

I never realized that I was knocked out so bad until my brain notified me to wake up. My eyes could only see darkness, which made me both a bit confused and anxious. It was by then I realized that my eyes were still shut; it was my brain that was now awake but not my sight. I slowly opened my eyes just a bit to see my surroundings above, which was just a dull colour of maroon. Out of curiosity, I fluttered my eyes wide open and allowed my eyes to examine the newly-found but quite familiar circumference. It was by then I recognized our tent Katsumi and I had been sleeping in quite a bit lately.

Then it hit me: Where was Katsumi? What happened when I was unconscious?

I attempted to sit up until I felt intense pain throughout my body took me by surprise, preventing me from moving any further. It was at that moment I noticed my abdomen wrapped up cleanly in bandages, which raised my question. I briefly examined my whole body only to see either my bare skin or white bandages. I knew right there that I was in bad condition before I was patched up, and that I was unconscious when this happened. But I couldn't put my finger as to what happened before I blacked out and during that period of time.

If I could recall, I slightly remembered the moments where Katsumi and I were encountered by Leaf shinobi who were after her, and the moment when I was surrounded by them. Thinking this made me remember that I was also attacked by them, which probably explained why I was knocked out pretty badly. They were after Katsumi, and their plan was to capture me and make a deal or something along those lines. However, I don't recall hearing her answer which meant that I wasn't sure if whether or not she surrendered to the Leaf. Knowing the girl, she probably didn't go down without a fight but I wasn't sure if she won. I doubt that she didn't because it wouldn't make sense since she was likely the one who treated my wounds. Also, I had a gut feeling that she wouldn't abandon her comrades and teammates, even the likes of me; she wasn't the type of person who would leave anyone behind, and I respect her for that.

So if she didn't give in to her former village, then where was she now? And where were those Leaf ninja?

Processing all of this information and trying to put the pieces together only caused me to get a throbbing headache; I must've received a head injury too when I was ambushed. I sighed deeply to myself as I laid back down in the sleeping mat I was currently on. I gazed at the tent ceiling deeply as I waited every second went by, then every minute, then every hour.

It was just three hours later when I heard someone unzipped the tent and walked into the soft shelter. I didn't bother seeing who this person was because I had a good feeling who was present. I had my eyes shut when she walked in, so she didn't take into consideration that I was awake, which was understandable since I was probably sustained a lot of injuries. I slightly peeked through one eye to hint what Katsumi was doing at the other side of the tent. I could see her rummaging through her bag, looking for something that was hidden in her bag. I scanned her current emotion despite her back facing directly towards me. She didn't seem happy nor sad; she simply had her semi-mood on, which meant nothing special happened, good nor bad.

The temptation of knowing what her thoughts were when she treated me—since I had a "clue" what her feelings towards me were— was hard to shake off: she simply hated my guts and wanted me to stay fifty feet away from her. But lately, her actions were saying the opposite and so had her attitude towards me. When the Leaf asked for her to willingly come back to the village, she refused to go and I was shocked; I knew she missed her home and wanted to see her friends and mentors and taste the feeling of freedom once again. But the fact that she said no hinted that she genuinely didn't want to leave my side regardless her grudge against me. After all the lies I had told her and the times I got under her skin, I couldn't blame her for hating me since I basically deserved it. But none of that seemed to matter because she still backed me up in that battle, and going so far to treat me to perfect health showed more than what she had expressed.

I kind of got the feeling that I was finally warming up to her, which decreased the amount of hate she had towards me.

It made me feel a sense of comfort in a way.

I didn't take said person looking over her shoulder at me into account since my sight was horrible at the moment. Plus by the fact that I could wrap my head around as to her reasons behind taking such good care of me.

"I see that you're awake." She simply stated as she viewed at me expressionlessly.

I winced at her words since I wasn't aware she noticed me conscious until now.

I grunted in response. "What happened to me?" I asked, despite already having an idea.

"You were ambushed by those Leaf ninja." She answered briefly. "Their motive was to capture you and trade my surrender to the Leaf for your life."

I blinked at her answer and then I gazed up at the tent ceiling. "I see, then."

Even though I had an idea what happened during my time living in the dark, there were slight details that were left unknown to me, and I was curious as to what those details were. I didn't learn my lesson to not think too hard, because I received another throbbing headache as punishment. I gritted my teeth in pain as I held my swelling head tightly, trying to relieve some of the pain. Unfortunately, this migraine was more intense than the first one. Apparently, Katsumi noticed this and I could feel her eyes on me.

"Don't push yourself, four eyes." She sighed in bore as she walked over towards me. "Meaning both physically and mentally."

She kneeled beside me as her eyes examined the pain I showed on my face. She then held out her hand and placed it gently on my forehead as strains of my grey bangs sat on her fingers. Regardless of my impaired vision, I knew she was tending to my migraine by the sound of medical ninjutsu being done and the colour her chakra gave off. This chakra of hers was very soothing and relaxing, it made me doze off for a minute; it was both calming yet rejuvenating. I was able to move my pupils towards my caregiver who only had a simply, tired look on her face.

Normally, reading people's emotion was what I enjoyed and what I do best. But Katsumi was different from the others; I could never tell with this girl, which was mainly the reason why I was always getting under her skin.

Right now, she was being sympatric towards me which was sort of new. In fact, she had been less aggressive and irritable with me. This was strange really because I was so used to her old attitude, and now that she was being a bit kinder than before, it made me feel both awkward and glad.

I couldn't give a reason why, but all I knew was that I was glad that she didn't genuinely hate me and grateful that she didn't abandoned me for her personal gain.

"Katsumi…" I called her name weakly, feeling more tired as she continued to ease the pain in my head.

Said ravenette heard me and turned her attention to me, giving me a soft, expressionless look. I responded to her gaze by giving her a gentle look back, to show what I was about to say was indeed legitimate.

"Thank you… I'm grateful that you treated me when I was in bad shape…" I breathed tiredly, looking up at her with a slightly glossy look.

I thought I had just saw her eyes widened in shock after hearing the words that came out of my mouth, then again I wasn't wearing my glasses so I wasn't too sure.

I knew she wasn't expecting a thanks from me of all people, and even if she did, it was probably because I was being fake again. But I truthfully wasn't; I really did appreciate her for her actions and took care of me when I was down despite me being part of the reason she no longer had freedom, losing everything and everyone she cared about, and the fact that she never wanted to go on this mission in the first place. There was simply no way to thank her more for her pure, kind, generous soul she had behind that thick, concrete wall she put up all the time.

"Don't mention it, Kabuto…" I heard her reply and she said it in a soft tone, as if she didn't want me to hear it.

Much to her dismay, she wasn't aware that my hearing was above average due to my lack of sight.

It wasn't until now that I noticed my eyelids were getting droopier and droopier by the second as my mind was ready to go into unconsciousness once again. I was confused because I don't sense anything that could've caused me to be fatigue except for one thing: Katsumi. It was then I recognized this type of medical ninjutsu she was using; she was using the type that both healed and make the patient fall asleep to ease the body as it recuperated. She was using this jutsu to put me to sleep which meant anything could happen once she had completely knocked me out.

"Katsumi… this jutsu… what are you—?"

"Don't get your ugly pants in a twist, four eyes. I'm not doing anything you think I'm trying to do or anything along those lines." She interjected gruffly. "I'm simply treating that migraine that's bothering you, nothing more nothing less."

I softened my stare on her defense. She had no intention harming me nor escaping to Leaf; she remained by my side.

"You don't deserve anymore physical pain than you already have." I thought I heard her state after, but I wasn't sure because that was the last thing she said when my lid closed shut, sending me back into unconsciousness.

 **Katsumi's POV:**

I waited until Kabuto was finally in a peaceful coma, in which I deactivated my medical ninjutsu. I watched him as he slept peacefully and in no pain at all as his chest rose and dropped by his soft breathing. I couldn't help but give off a small smile at him because I truly believed under his smug, annoying demeanor, he was an honest and possibly a humble person who lived his life as I spy.

In a way, he reminded me of my elder sibling, Itachi. He was assigned as a spy for our clan and he had to do things for our father, regardless of his personal feelings.

Difference was that Itachi Uchiha was a cold-hearted, bloody murderer and Kabuto Yakushi wasn't. At least that was what I assumed.

But I wouldn't say I liked Kabuto, but I could say that I no longer hate him as much as I did before. And the fact that I was drooling over his admittedly, perfectly toned body had nothing to do with the fact that I liked him more than a friend. How was it even possible when I never even considered him as a friend? Besides, I was just a girl with her female hormones bouncing back and forth constantly.

I lifted myself off from the ground and took my travelling bag and headed out of the tent; there were still two more medicinal herbs left to locate and then it was mission accomplished.

It was sort of a coincidence that I returned to the tent right when Kabuto woke up which the reason was because that I needed to restock on some supplies that ran out. Now that I was prepared on round two of searching, I hoped that this was the last time because it wasn't the smartest move to leave Kabuto in the state he was in despite my genjutsu barrier I put up for safety.

Hopefully I would be done before the sun goes down.

* * *

For once, my time estimating skills had improved.

Like I hoped, I arrived at our tent before the sun had the chance to set. Not only that, I was able to locate and obtain all of the rare herbs Orochimaru requested, which meant we had officially completed our mission. I couldn't have been happier because this mission was both stressful and bothersome, but I still stuck to it until the end. Now that our job was done, we could head back to the lair which I was excited about surprisingly.

I happily walked into the tent and dropped my knapsack, not caring if I woke up Kabuto or not. As I spun around, I was close to falling on my butt by the surprise of seeing someone awake and staring right at me. I looked down at four eyes with my mouth slightly parted, who returned the look with an amused smile on his bandaged face.

"I've never seen anyone on a high-ranked mission this happy before." He stated jokingly.

I slightly pouted at his comment in disgust as I watched him lifting himself up in a sitting positon.

"First of all, this mission isn't that high-ranked." I scoffed smugly, placing m hands on my sides. "And secondly, the reason why I'm _happy_ is because the mission is accomplished."

Kabuto's grey eyebrow lifted in question at my response. "What do you mean by 'mission is accomplished'?" He inquired curiously.

I rolled my eyes at his obliviousness. "I mean, this mission we're currently on is officially over." I huffed tiredly with a microscopic grin on my face.

The look four eyes gave me seemed to look like he wasn't really convinced.

"How is that even possible?" He questioned with narrowed eyes. "There's still a few more herbs left and—."

"I went out to find them on my own when you were here unconscious." I interrupted nonchalantly, not affected by his suspicion.

"The medicinal herbs listed are one of the rarest species of plant. There's simply no way you could've find all of them on your own in that span of time." He implied stubbornly, still not convinced with what I was saying.

"Well, I'm glad you have so much faith in my abilities." I replied sarcastically. "Just because you're more 'wiser' and 'older' than I am, doesn't mean you're better than me at every single thing."

"So you're telling me that you actually went out there all on your own to find herbs that are almost extinct while being a possible target for predators lurking around in the forest." He summarized dully as he sounded a bit unimpressed.

"Basically, yes…" I gave him a small nod.

Kabuto eyebrows furrowed at my confirmation. "You shouldn't have done that." He grumbled to himself in which I heard him loud and clear.

I frowned at his words. "And why is that?" I questioned in annoyance, not understanding why he was mad at me once again.

"This mission was meant for the both of us, meaning working _together_ to find the medicinal herbs. And you literally did the exact opposite." He answered lowly, looking hardly at me.

My jaw dropped at his reasoning. "If I remembered correctly, this mission was to find these herbs for that snake… the same snake that forced me to go on this mission." I huffed exasperatedly, folding my arms across my chest.

Kabuto remained quiet at my comment as he continued to stare at me.

"And why does it even matter anyway? We got all of the herbs regardless, and now we could go back to the lair and do our own thing." I added in a bored tone, tired of explaining myself.

"It actually matters, if you didn't know." He muttered in frustration, lowering his head.

"I honestly don't see what your problem is." I shrugged, dismissing his irritation towards me.

"My 'problem' is that you went off on your own without me; you could've gotten yourself killed if you hadn't been lucky." He hissed at me for my carelessness.

"Again, stop underestimating me and my abilities." I snapped at him irritably. "Besides, what could've gone wrong if I wasn't 'lucky' anyway?"

"For starters, you're not familiar with this area as much as I am, meaning that leaves you vulnerable for enemies to come after you. Plus, both Orochimaru and I would have to feel the wrath of your brother the second he learns that we basically got you killed on a mission." He briefly explained as he kept his hard stare directly at me.

"On your defense, Sasuke did agree to the snake's conditions that require me to go on missions I'm assigned to so he's not really in position to hold you accountable." I pointed out as I dropped my shoulders.

"That doesn't matter when it comes to Sasuke Uchiha, he won't listen to reason." He hissed in annoyance. "Your actions would not only hurt you, but everyone else around you. So be more considerate the next time."

I sighed loudly in irritation. "There you go again, scolding me like I'm a little kid."

"I wouldn't be 'scolding' you if you stop taking so many risks that could end your life." He countered with a grumble.

"Oh, like the risk I took to save your goddamn life, right? The same risk where I went off to find the rest of those stupid plants Orochimaru wanted?" I taunted solidly, sharpening my glare.

I heard a tsk from his mouth as he immediately avoided eye contact. This was probably the first time Kabuto was genuinely irritated with me, and as much as I couldn't care less, this was off for me in my opinion.

"You didn't have to save me, for your information." He muttered in dissatisfaction as he continued to look away.

"Actually, I had to." I corrected firmly. "I knew that I had to save you because the reason for the Leaf wanting me had nothing to do with you; they were using you to lure me into their trap. The fact that they were using a person's life for their personal gain was heartless and low, especially this coming from the Leaf itself. It's disappointed they would resort to this."

I noticed Kabuto's tensed body relaxed by my words. He slowly glanced at me as he blankly looked up at me.

"But considering your hateful feelings towards me, how—?"

"I don't hate you, four eyes. I never did." I cut him off solidly, receiving a shock fascial expression from him. "I never hated you as a person, Kabuto. I hated the things you've done to my friends, mentors, and everyone close to me for that snake. The way how you willingly worked for Orochimaru and did all of his bidding work disgusted me."

"But hating the things a person does is the same as hating them as a whole." He pointed out with furrowed eyebrows. "And even if there is a difference, that doesn't explain why you saved me."

I lowered my head, trying to find the right words for an answer Kabuto desired to hear. I huffed out the stress within me then I spoke.

"You're my partner in this mission, and I learned the importance of teamwork from Kakashi." I explained deeply as my eyes were glued to the ground. "Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum."

Kabuto winced at my words as his eyes widened slightly; he looked as if he wasn't expecting something like that to come out of my mouth.

"I would never abandon anyone for the sake of a mission or my life; I would never leave anyone behind, even you, Kabuto." I added hardly with my fists clenched and a strong but compassionate look on my face.

It didn't matter to me that he wasn't convinced of my reason, it was telling the truth; I wasn't the type of person to leave people out there to suffer and die.

I then threw him a cold glare. "And if you still think what I did there was childish and stupid, then so be it. I won't lift a finger to help out the likes of you anymore, you ungrateful jerk. And so far as this mission goes, this is the last time I'll ever partner up on a mission with you for as long as I live never mind willingly completing it for you when you were unable to." I venomously grumbled, receiving nothing but a dull look on the jerk's face.

I didn't want this conversation to go on any further after the thank I received from him. Although he did thank me earlier for treating his wounds, he hadn't thank me for saving his life, which I found that disgraceful. With that thought in mind, I stomped out of the tent as I left Kabuto sitting there looking like a lost mummy.

* * *

It had been about three hours since I left four eyes be in the tent. He literally got on my last nerve as he walked past my boundaries. It was one thing to be obnoxious and annoying, but being ungrateful and straight-up rude was a different story. And just when I thought I was seeing him in a better aspect.

I gazed deeply at the golden orange flames burning in front of me as I playfully pushed its burnt wood with a thick, long stick. I knew I couldn't leave him in there for the rest of the night unsupervised as he was still in the healing process. As a medic-nin, it was against our policy. What was also against our policy was personal feelings of the patient getting in the way of treating their injuries in which I huffed loudly. Kabuto or any reason shouldn't get in the way of helping the injured. Besides, if it was the other way around, Kabuto would be aware of this too and make sure my health was at a hundred percent.

Groaning tiredly, I got up from my seat and treaded towards the tent with a plate of food I prepared for my patient. I took a breath in, and then I walked into the tent. I zipped up the entrance/exit of the tent and turned to see how my patient was doing. Said person was still sitting at the same position for hours, which surprised me a little. The only difference I noticed was his head hanging low as his eyes were having a new interest in examining his hands. The fact that he was in this position for probably about the amount of hours I left the tent meant he wasn't here in reality at the moment. I sighed at the situation and walked over to him and made myself comfortable on the ground across from him. I carefully placed the plate beside him whenever he was ready to eat.

I scanned his expression his body was giving out as the awkward silence grew more awkward by the second. I knew he was aware that I was no longer absent in the tent, but he still refused to give me any sort of eye contact. This made it even more uncomfortable than it should be, and someone really needed to break the silence or it would kill both of us.

"How are you feeling?" I hesitantly asked, looking aside. "You're not hurting, are you?"

Kabuto's head twitched by my question and he finally lifted his head until his eyes peeked through his bangs.

"No, I'm not hurting." He answered simply. "In fact, I feel better than before. You did a good job treating me."

His small compliment caused a warm feeling within my chest. "Thank you, I'm glad to hear that." I commented with small smile.

I breathed out the awkwardness in my being and I kept by gaze on my hands, playfully picking my nail out of boredom. If Kabuto wasn't in the mood to talk, then I saw no point in continuing this conversation.

But of course, I could never be sure when it came to four eyes here.

"I'm sorry…" He suddenly spoke, earning a gasp from me. "For earlier…"

I gazed at him with a lost and confused look; no words could explain how I felt.

"I'm not exactly sure what you're apologizing for." I replied softly as my hand played with the charms on my bracelet.

Kabuto glanced up at me, finally allowing to give full eye contact.

"I wasn't trying to sound ungrateful, and I'm not to begin with." He briefly justified. "I was simply concerned that you fought all of the Leaf ninja on your own, resulting the possibility of both of us being killed. Not only that, you went off all on your own to find the rare herbs which also could lead you to your death."

If I heard this correctly, Kabuto wasn't angry at me for doing things my own way at all, he was simply looking out for me. But him out of every single person living on this planet?

"I'm more shocked than offended." I commented expressionlessly. "I mean, it's not like you to apologize to me, or anyone for that matter."

"Because I appreciate you for saving me, pushing your opinions and judgement aside." He muttered lowly, avoiding eye contact once again.

Kabuto muttered something else after that, but I couldn't really make out the words he said. Clearly, he didn't want me specifically to hear probably because it was possibly huge for him to say… whatever he just said.

That raised my suspicion.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" I inquired, wanting him to repeat himself.

As his pupils were looking aside, he spoke. "I said I appreciate you for saving—."

"No, not that, four eyes!" I snapped in annoyance. "What did you say _after_ that?"

Kabuto remained silent, not answering my question. This made me even more annoyed than ever, especially the fact that my patience level was literally zero.

"You know when you avoid my questions… it only makes me want to punch you in the face." I commented in an annoyed sigh, getting off topic.

I then heard a chuckle coming from the grey haired medic-nin's mouth. I glanced at him, only to see him eyeing me with amusement as he grinned. What was so funny all of a sudden?

"It's kind of ironic really…" He commented in amusement. "You still call me 'four eyes'… yet I'm not even wearing my glasses…"

I shrugged at his comment. "Probably because the nickname just sticks." I proposed simply.

Kabuto grinned at my comment as he gave me a rarely-seen friendly look. It was similar to the look he gave Squad 7 and I when we first met during the chunin exams. But this look looked more real and genuine than before.

"You should probably eat now, before the food gets cold." I suggested, moving my mind onto a different topic.

Receiving a nod in response, Kabuto picked up his plate and wasted no time consuming it. As he ate, I was busy organizing and packing up my necessities in my bag; since I completed the mission, we could head back to the lair and report it to Orochimaru.

"So, what are you going to do about Sasuke?" Kabuto suddenly asked curiously.

That question of his really caught me off guard, it actually made me jump a bit from the ground since it was so unexpected.

"What about Sasuke, specifically?" I returned the question despite having a clue what he meant.

"Are you going to talk to Sasuke about the stuff you told me?" He clarified sternly, narrowing his eyes at me.

I rolled my eyes at his question. "It's not as simple as you thing, and you know that." I replied.

"Why does it seem so hard anyway?" He asked again with a raised eyebrow.

I lifted myself a bit off of the ground and placed myself in a comfortable position as I still held my bag.

"Sasuke is a stubborn, egotistical, narcissistic rogue who only does what Sasuke only wants, regardless of other's personal feelings. I'm not necessarily afraid of his actions if I were to tell him, but I see no point to it seeing that it'll just be heard with deaf ears." I briefly explained broadly.

"But, he's your brother." Kabuto insisted calmly.

I slightly shook my head. "Just because he's my brother doesn't mean anything. I could tell you how I'm feeling since I know you'll listen. Sasuke was never really good at that, unfortunately."

"How about if I talk to him?" He offered blankly.

I held back from laughing; I thought at that moment he wasn't thinking straight.

"How sweet of you to offer…" I sarcastically smiled. "But you have a better chance getting your head ripped off than convincing him."

Kabuto snickered at my joke and took another bite of his food.

"By the way…" He then commented as he chewed. "What ever happened to that Leaf squad that was after you?"

I blinked at his curiosity. "Oh, them? They're deceased." I answered plainly.

Kabuto's eyebrows furrowed at my answered. "What do you mean by _deceased_?" He questioned solidly.

I rolled my eyes at his obliviousness; for a medic-nin, he could be really stupid at times.

"I mean they're no longer here with us; they're dead, gone, _vanished_." I answered thoroughly, getting impatient by his lack of understanding.

Kabuto threw me a cold stare in which I had no clue where this was coming from. Just a moment ago, he was laughing and now his mood literally switched.

"Would you say that you were the cause of their deaths?" He questioned once again with anger soaked in his words.

Not really paying attention to his negative tone in his voice, I frowned at his stupid question. It was as if I was asked if I took cookies from its jar as I was holding out a cookie and holding a plate of other cookies; why would anyone ask a question when the answer was literally right in front of them.

"Well who else could be the possible suspect?" I sarcastically asked, mocking his oblivious curiosity. "Obviously it was me who killed them."

The look Kabuto gave me after I admitted to killing the men from earlier was unpleasant to say the least. He threw me a cold, harsh, deadly glare, clearly hinting that he didn't like my answer.

"Why on earth did you kill them?" He questioned lividly, sharpening his glare at me.

Though his glare was a bit intimidating, it wasn't to the point where I was scared of him. To be honest, there would never be the day I was frightened of Kabuto.

"It's because if I didn't, four eyes… I would end up being the one who gets killed." I answered in a slow voice like I was talking down to a child.

Kabuto wasn't convinced due to the look on his face remained the same. I didn't know what else he wanted from me anyway; he was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Besides, it's their own damn fault for pulling the first move anyway. And I did warn them that they would regret anything they do to attack me. Plus, they had you as their hostage; I had to kill them to save the both of us or else they would cause trouble for us later." I justified defensively, folding my arms.

"I understand that, but that's not what I mean." He commented irritably, shaking his head. "I just don't like the fact you resorted in killing them, especially considering they're from your birth village."

I raised an eyebrow in question, not really comprehending what he was trying to say.

Seeing this made him sigh as he softly added, "You're not the type to intentionally kill, you know."

I slightly gaped at his comment, shocked that he wasn't comfortable with my newly-found killing intent.

"I would've never thought that this concerns you." I responded unsurely, looking aside.

Kabuto shrugged. "It's not really a concern, to be honest. It's just not like you to do something like that; you're a lot of things, but not a killer."

I could feel my cheeks turning a light shade of pink when he said that. It was actually one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to me, and meant it.

Kabuto then threw me his nasty glare once again out of nowhere, which instantly grabbed my attention.

"Swear on your life that you will _never_ kill anyone ever again." He demanded deadly as his venomous glare grew more toxic.

His tone of voice sent shivers down my spine, but I made sure to keep that undercover because he knowing that I was intimidated by him was the last thing I ever wanted.

"Okay, okay…" I hushed him as I held my hands out in surrender. "I won't kill anyone ever again until the day I die."

Hearing this made his lips stretched into a grin. "Good girl." He chirped as he patted my head as if I was a child.

That was one of my pet peeves: people who treated me like a little kid. Sure, Kabuto was older than I was, but that gave him no reason for him to treat me like a little kid.

"Remove the hand, or lose the hand." I seethed threateningly, glaring at him.

This led Kabuto to retract his hand rapidly just in case for his hand's sake.

"Geez, calm down already." He huffed jokingly moving a strand of hair away from his face.

I rolled my eyes at his comment as I decided to change the topic that almost killed me with awkwardness.

"Mind if I examine you for a second?" I suddenly asked him. "I want to see if you're completely healed and remove the bandages."

Kabuto nodded without hesitation as he allowed me to scoot closer to him, resulting in me sitting between his legs. It took merely a minute of examining to indicate that his body was free from any damage whatsoever. Hearing this made him smile softly at me.

"I'll just remove the bandages off of you… now that you don't need them anymore." I notified as I already started unwrapping the bandages.

After a moment of unwrapping, Kabuto's body was free of any bandaging whatsoever. My eyes blindly scanned at his firm, perfectly tanned torso as my hand was still stuck on his muscular chest from unwrapping the bandages. I swore if I was looking at myself, I would probably look like I died at that very moment and my last living sight was Kabuto's exposed skin.

Apparently, Kabuto saw that I was captivated by his body and he frowned uncomfortably.

"Katsumi, what are you doing?" He questioned hardly as he reached out and grabbed my shoulder to snap me out of this trance.

But the next thing I knew, I was leaning over towards his face and my lips were pressed against his in which I earned a gasp from him.

 **Kabuto's POV:**

I would've never thought that my own lips would ever touch Katsumi in a million years, never mind a girl as a whole. The fact that Katsumi Uchiha was kissing me blew my mind out of this planet. I didn't where it came from, nor I knew if this had anything to do with me to begin with. And it all started with her drooling over my body, which made me feel very weird since I was never used to that sort of stuff. I was also never used to kissing a girl or anyone for that matter because of other people's judgement of me.

But Katsumi's judgement was similar to others, so why was she kissing me?

I prayed that she didn't notice the wide, shocked eyes I was giving her because I was still stunned physically and mentally; my mind was still processing this new and scary situation. I could feel her arms slid up against my shoulders and around my neck, pulling me closer towards her as her lips moved against mine. My heart was palpitating because now I realized she was _intentionally_ kissing me and she knew that she was. Sweat started streaming down my face as I felt her body right in front of mine to the point where her breasts were pressed against my chest; that thought made my cheeks turn pink.

After a moment— which felt like it had been years, my mind and body finally processed what was going on. Katsumi was kissing me, she was aware that she was kissing me, she _knew_ wanted to kiss me, and she was possibly waited if _I_ wanted to kiss her back. That thought never really crossed my mind since I first met her, but now that I thought about it… I was always curious what it felt like to kiss someone. I also wondered what it felt like to kiss someone I knew for a very long time… and if that made it more passionate.

If I ever wanted to find out, I had to experience it myself.

And in all honesty, it was comforting that Katsumi was my first kiss because out of everyone I knew, I would definitely kiss her as a first timer.

Now that the opportunity was there in front of me, I had to grab it as quickly as I could, because that was what I wanted.

With that thought, I lifted my arms and wrapped them tightly around her waist as I pulled her in closer to the kiss as my lips finally responded to hers. Our lips moved in sync as my hands were caressing her body as one of her hands ran down my chest and abdomen and up. At one point, my hand gripped her cheek to push her lips even harder against mine, which deepened the kiss. I licked her lower lip, asking for permission in which she accepted my request. The next thing I knew, my tongue was exploring in her mouth as it massaged itself with her own tongue, earning a moan from said female.

I still couldn't believe that I was kissing Katsumi, and she was kissing me with no problem. I never experienced something so passionate, so desperate before because I lived my life as a lonely spy. I always lied and betrayed people as an everyday job to the point where I didn't know who I was anymore. Who was I as a person? Where did I came from? It was something I always questioned about because knowing the answers could lead to my identity and my purpose in life other than a spy. Unfortunately, I was still nothing but someone's subordinate and I was afraid that that was what I would be known as on my tombstone: a spy with no identity. Lord Orochimaru promised that he would help me find the answers I desired, but despite his efforts, I never learned the type of person I was. At times, I even question if I was even human.

Then, Katsumi came into my life and my first thoughts of her were the typical thoughts of anyone who first laid eyes on her. She was one of the sole survivors of the Uchiha massacre however it had been said that she activated her Sharingan when she was born, making her the most unique Uchiha in her entire clan. Rumors also had it that she was one of the Uchiha's most exceptional, talented shinobi after Itachi and Shisui. But her personality and demeanor varied with other members of this clan. She viewed the world differently and was very headstrong; she was never swayed by others to think differently and act differently either. She was very blunt, stubborn, and sometimes a gloater but she held everyone close to her deeply in her heart and placed everyone before herself. Her beauty and attitude was a few of the things that made people drawn towards her, which was why people held so much respect for her, including myself.

But now that I knew Katsumi more personally now, I saw a bit of a different side of her. She could be vicious, selfish, and even murderous if she wanted to. She was also someone who held pain, sorrow, and stress within herself, afraid to show any emotion. She struggled with the issue of trusting others, which caused her problems and emotions to beat her up from the inside and out. When she told me the things she went through in her past a few days back, I discovered that she was living in the pits of darkness, depression, anxiety, and negativity. Her way of thinking, plus unfortunate things she had experienced as a child caused her to have a tumorous, unhealthy mind. She probably even harmed herself to numb the pain behind the curtains in her little room without anyone knowing.

Despite all this, it was because of these factors and personalities of Katsumi that made me want to get closer to her. I wanted to know if any of those various factors of her could hint me to my identity; I wanted to learn if any of the things she carried was also what I carried but never knew of it.

But I would've never thought I would get closer to her this way.

Her kissing me was the last thing that I thought would've even happened. But in a way, I was glad that it was happening because this was more heavenly than anything I had ever experienced in my life. The feeling of her lightly tanned lips were soft and delicate, but also perfectly firm, the taste of her mouth was sweet and minty at the same time, her body was firmly slim and toned in the most feminine way possible, and her skin was of sweet cherry scent that I drooled over for. My mind, body and lips devoured and enjoyed this blissful moment and hoped it would last for a very long time.

However, the moment my hands slid under her shirt, touching her soft, lustrous skin, she pulled her lips away from mine in shock. I winced at this because I was so deep into the kiss, I forgot I was still stuck in harsh reality. She sat there in between my legs as she gazed into my eyes with wide, stunned eyes while I gave her a similar look back. Our faces was so close, our noses was an inch away from each other. Though she pulled away from the kiss, her arms remained around my neck as my own arms were still firmly around her slender waist. Our chests thumped against each other by the fast beating of our hearts as we looked deeply into our eyes.

Then, she snapped out of fantasy and gasped in horror, realizing what had just happened as she pushed herself away from me with a gaped look on her face. I blinked the shock I held myself as I watched Katsumi pant from making out with me. I could understand that since I was panting myself from that as well.

I was having a hard time choosing the right words to speak since it had been a while since either of us actually spoken.

"K-Katsumi… what… what was—?"

"Just shut _up_ , okay!?" She snapped angrily as she avoided eye contact with me.

I did what I was told and kept my mouth shut. Goodness, what was her problem? She had no right to be mad at me when she was the one who made the first move. In fact, I saw no reason for her to take her frustration out on me for her misfortune.

"Let's just pretend none of that happened, and go to sleep. We have to report our mission to Orochimaru before noon." She advised dully as her eyes still looked to the side.

I sighed at this scenario and laid myself down on my sleeping mat. I shifted to lay on my left as my back was facing towards Katsumi. With my eyes closed shut, I heard her swift movements behind me; it sounded like she was going into her sleeping area, possible at a farther distance from me than usual since she felt awkward about _everything_. As I laid there still and silent, my fingertips were touching my now reddened lips. The same lips that you-know-who was passionately kissing on. My mind went back to that moment where we kissed as if we desperately needed each other and we wanted our touches to be felt. I wondered by then if we would ever do something like this ever again in the near future.

It was actually a disgrace that I allowed someone like her to make me feel these feelings that I had never been exposed to before, and I probably shouldn't be exposed to it either. What would Lord Orochimaru think of me? Even worse, what about _Sasuke_? Why was Katsumi always forcing me on her rollercoaster of emotions in the first place?

' _What are you doing to me…?'_ I thought to myself stressfully as I blacked out into complete slumber.

* * *

 **And that wraps up for Chapter 8! Hope that gets you hyped for the next chapter. But not too hype because that's a bad sign… from experience. Btw school's starting soon so that'll mess up my schedule meaning it'll take me even longer to post chapter so bear with me.**

 **I also wanna thank lizyeh2000 again for being so awesome sauce and loyal to my fanfic. I feel the love, girl! (Btw, I hope I'm right that you're a girl cause that would be really awkward).**


	9. Chapter 9

**If you're reading this, I'm literally going with the flow right now because my mind can't deal for this chapter. And sorry for the long wait, school and studying is really consuming all of my free time and I'm unable to post as frequent as I hoped. Unfortunately, short hiatuses will be a common thing until the winter break so bear with me if you wanna know what happens in my fanfic.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Peaceful Nightmares**

 **Katsumi's POV:**

The piercing rays of the morning sun shone on my eyelids and the strain of that irritation earned a groggy groan from my parted lips. How was it morning so quickly? I could've sworn that I closed my eyes just an hour ago and then the sun decided to be a nuisance and wake me up from my slumber. I used all known tactics to aid this issue: the pillow cover-up, switching and shifting positions, facing away from the sun, and finally the blanket cocoon. Once I was able to cover up the sun rays with my blanket, I relieved my squinting eyes and tried my hardest to go back to sleep. Unfortunately it was easier said than done. No matter how much I tried to force myself to sleep, my mind simply resisted and urged me to get up already.

Damn it all to hell.

I groaned loudly in frustration then I threw my blanket away from my upper body. I forced myself to sit up on my mat and remained sitting there as my mind replayed the moments that really struck me.

There was no way to cover this up: I kissed Kabuto freakin' Yakushi. And there was simply no way to deny it.

To be honest, I didn't know why I kissed him in the first place. All I knew was that I _wanted_ to kiss him, and jumped at the chance when he sat there without his glasses, his shirt, the bandages; my hormones and mind couldn't take it anymore. I literally _had_ to kiss him. His perfectly tanned lips were plump and lustrous, and I curious to know what they tasted like. I wanted to know what his body felt like against mine and the touch of his skin under my hands. What I did last night I carried no regrets whatsoever.

Except for one: Kabuto Yakushi.

It was obvious that he wasn't expecting me to do something like that to him, especially when his body just recuperated from its injuries. And I knew he had never kissed anyone before because to be honest, he was a weird bookworm and no girl would ever be attracted to anyone like him. But clearly I was wrong because I was captivated by his body and hungry for his lips. I didn't know why but it just does.

However I wouldn't say I had feelings for him.

It was nothing personal to him at all, actually. I just don't see Kabuto anything more than a companion or even an acquaintance. Mainly because for as long as I could remember, I disliked him with a burning passion and I tried my very hardest to prevent the urge to punch him every time I saw him. But after spending so much time with him on this mission, I saw him in a different light. Not personality wise but my perspective of him changed quite a bit. For starters, I didn't hate him as much as I did before and he wasn't as annoying either. For the most part, he was sort of good as company. But then my eyes were glued to his exposed torso, and emotions and thoughts were running wild within me. As a bookworm, his body was mesmerising and attractive. Even without his glasses, he looked a lot more calm, mature, and more bearable to see the very least.

Not only that, he was hell of a kisser for a first timer.

I couldn't lie, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed his hands roaming all over my body, I enjoyed the taste of his tongue and mouth, I enjoyed feeling his toned chest and abs, and I enjoyed how he was eventually passionate about it as much as I was. However that part surprised me. I thought he would either be frozen and not do anything about it or push me away from him and question my motives. I knew for a fact he was shocked that I went in for a kiss since he didn't make a single move at the beginning. But then, he caved in and responded to my lips just as wanting as my own. Why did he let me kiss him? And why did he kissed me back?

Did that meant Kabuto had feelings for me?

I shook that thought out of my head immediately, thinking that it was ridiculous. Kabuto doesn't have a love interest, and if he did, it was probably Orochimaru to be completely honest. But if there was even the slightest chance that he did, then the last thing I should do was to give him false hopes. It wouldn't be fair for the both of us.

That brought the question towards me. Did I have feelings for Kabuto? No, I absolutely don't. Was I attracted to him? Yes, I was but only because his glistening tanned skin was blinding me and my hormones were bouncing off the walls. Would I ever consider in a relationship with Kabuto? That wouldn't be possible for the following reasons. Firstly, I don't like him in that sense so it was pointless to ever consider a relationship with someone that I don't like in that way in the first place. Secondly, I wasn't ready for another relationship since my last one ended in a harsh way by my behalf, and I don't want to do the same thing to Kabuto. Thirdly, there was no telling what Orochimaru would think if he learned that his trusted subordinate was dating his host body's sister. And finally, Sasuke would kill the both of us if he saw us as a couple; he would literally chop us up into little pieces.

All of this thinking made my head hurt and a bit lightheaded. There was no point in sitting here since I couldn't fall back to sleep, and I knew that Kabuto was sleeping a few feet away from me. The last thing I wanted was to carry heavy regrets of what I did. Even if I never regretted kissing him, I would still regret looking at him in a seductive way.

I finally gathered the courage to glance over at Kabuto which I was shocked that his presence wasn't in his sleeping area like I presumed. In fact, all of his belongings were nowhere in sight within the tent. I scanned my surroundings to see anything that could relate to said male, in which I see nothing of the sort. I grunted and used my current strength to pick myself off of my feet. I dragged myself out of the tent and scanned the campsite clearing, which was probably the smallest clearing I had seen so far in our mission.

Nevertheless, Kabuto was still nowhere to be seen.

I huffed loudly in annoyance and started wandering through the bushes, hoping that I would simply bump into him. As I walked in the direction I was currently in, the atmosphere around me got a bit humid. I frowned upon this as the humidity grew as I moved further. Intrigued, I moved myself a bit quicker towards the source of this heat. I caught a glimpse of humid fog in a distance and I aimed myself to walk towards it. Once I reached towards a patch of tall grass, I lowered myself in a crouch position as I examined the situation in front of me. If I guessed correctly, there was a hot spring that wasn't too far away from our campsite which was a pleasant surprise since I was the one who chose this location to camp for the night yet I had no clue there was a hot spring nearby.

What I also noticed was that there was a being within the depths of the fogs of humidity. I squinted my eyes to get a better look at the mysterious figure in the boiling water surface, but I still couldn't put an identification on this person due to the fog being so thick. A moment later, the temperature seemed to decrease since the fog began to thin out a bit, which was helpful since now I could figure out who was in the hot spring. But now that I distinguished who that person was, I almost punched myself for the regrets that I promised to avoid.

It could've been _anyone_ in that hot spring, and it just had to be frickin' Kabuto.

Why the hell karma wanted to bite me in the ass this quick? I would never find the answer.

Luckily, said male didn't sense my presence as he sat peacefully in the hot springs, rinsing himself with the hot water. I watched him captivatedly as he ran his hands on his tanned body and water was dripping down his back. He then lifted his arms and soaked it with water, which made his arms and back both flex and relax at the same time. I swore I used all of my efforts to look away because watching a men who was naked in a hot bath was a sin in my book, but the sight was so wanting and attractive, my hormones just wanted more of the sight than I had anticipated.

To make matters worse for me, Kabuto stood up on his feet and started rinsing his hair with a bucket. This made me turn red and it wasn't because of the heat of the hot spring. Long story short, the water surface reached up to his lower hips and his whole back was exposed for my eyes to see. Holy crap, why was this happening to me of all people? And why was I stalking Kabuto in the first place?

Of course, I could just look away and head back to the campsite, but it easier said than done. I mean, the sight was so attractive, mesmerising, and simply gorgeous, I couldn't just simply walk away. And besides, Kabuto doesn't know that I was watching him bathe, so it wasn't as bad if I thought about it that way. But still, I wasn't like me to watch a naked man bathing in a hot pool because I wasn't exposed to it to begin with.

I barely saw Neji topless, but when I did, it happened in the most unexpected of times. I had kissed him once without a shirt, but that was when I had to leave and he didn't care if he had no shirt on. Neji had no interest in that sort of stuff anyway so it didn't count. Then there was Sasuke. I mean, the stuff he wore currently made it look like I had seen a topless guy before. No, because I don't find him attractive at all. Not because he wasn't attractive at all, it was because he was my brother meaning I had been around him my entire life. This resulted me in getting used to seeing him without a shirt and others times, just in boxers. To me, he was just Sasuke, my older brother.

What I was trying to say was that I hadn't been attracted to anyone this much before, so this was new to me. Especially the fact that I kissed him, it made me curious as to what his sexy body looked like under his dull clothing. However, I would never want to have sex with him because I had self-respect and dignity; I would never give my body to anyone just because they were attractive. Not to say that Kabuto was like that, but I just don't trust him at all when it came to this topic.

And to be honest, I don't think I would ever trust anyone. Meaning I would always be alone and isolated from the world.

That didn't matter right now. I should just sit here and watch this striking view I was getting. Unfortunately that was short-lived the second Kabuto finally realized someone was watching him which gave me a heart attack. I instantly focused my chakra to the soles of my feet and hopped out of the tall grass the same second he turned towards my direction. I landed softly at a high branch meters away from my original location. I straightened my position as I gazed down at a suspicious Kabuto from a far distance who was firmly looking at the tall grass, praying he hadn't sensed my chakra. It wasn't until a moment later he dismissed his conclusions and went back to what he was doing. I hadn't realized I held my breath until that relief came in.

Thank god he never saw me or the situation would kill me.

I knew I had to get back to the site or else my absence would raise his suspicion even more. With that in mind, I soared through the branches towards our site within minutes which was a miracle because I heard footsteps from behind. I glanced over my shoulder to see Kabuto walking slowly towards me. He wore his regular clothing and his glasses however his hair wasn't in a ponytail; it laid flat and free as it was drenching in water. He held his towel in one hand and his bag in the other hand. I examined the look on his face, trying to read if he knew that I was watching him bathe because I was aware that he knew he was being watched but I wasn't sure if he knew it was me.

By the looks of it, he didn't seem remotely suspicious or even curious about it. Then again, he was a very skilled spy who could hide their feelings and emotions away deep inside of them.

"Good morning, Katsumi." He said in a beaming tone, a similar tone he would use when he being sarcastic.

I wasn't expecting a good morning from him, especially after I basically made out with him without consent.

"Uh, good morning, Kabuto." I responded shakenly, wasn't sure what else to say.

"Did you sleep well?" He then asked, sounding awfully sweet today.

By the sounds of it, he didn't care about being stalked and even the kiss from last night. Not only that, Kabuto sounded a bit more bubbly and calm than before and this time, I wasn't sure if his new attitude was genuine or not.

It was then I realized I hadn't answered his question and he was expecting one from me.

"Yes, I did." I replied lowly, unsure if I should say more.

"How about you, Kabuto?" I asked shyly, looking aside.

I then heard said person chuckle which was kind of misleading; what was so funny?

Kabuto noticed that I was taken aback by his sudden laughter, in which he grinned in amusement.

"Sorry about that." He shook his head. "It's just that you said my name rather than 'four eyes', despite me currently wearing my glasses."

I took in his reason and realized he was right; I hadn't called him by his nickname I gave him. I wasn't even aware of that until he brought it up.

"I see no difference; they're both referred to you so it doesn't matter." I commented monotonously.

"But I find the name original, and I value originality from my fellow ninja." He pointed out with a smug look on his face.

I rolled my eyes at his personal preference. "Whatever floats your boat…"

Kabuto hummed at my comment then he slid his feet past me towards the tent. He sealed the tent into a small scroll and placed it securely in his bag. He then used the towel he held to dry out his grey hair, absorbing the water. Once he was satisfied, he tied his hair back in a low ponytail like he usually did and then he turned his attention towards me as he waited for me to probably say something.

But say what exactly?

"So, now what?" I questioned unsurely.

Kabuto turned so that his body was completely facing me. "Well, you said it yourself that you completed our mission when I was hurt, right?" He questioned for reassurance.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Then our job here is done." He declared with a small smile. "We'll head back to the lair and report our success to Lord Orochimaru."

Hearing that made me feel sort of refreshed which was appalling for me to think that. I disliked living in the underground lair with that creepy snake doing his unethical experiments on innocent people. But considering the fact that I had been sleeping on the hard ground in the middle of a dull, moist forest, I was sort of relieved to be able to spend the night in the comfort of my own room away from Kabuto and everyone else. Speaking of which, Sasuke's mission was coming to an end too if I was correct meaning there was a chance that I would bump into him in the lair.

Seeing Sasuke after this span of time would feel different to say the least since we barely talk anymore. Regardless, I still looked forward to see my brother.

With that thought, Kabuto and I started heading back to the lair. The walk back was silent, very silent. Neither one of us said a single word, nor did we seemed to want to say a word. The grey haired medic-nin took lead in the travel as I was right behind him, thinking deeply to myself since there was nothing else to do or talk about. I was simply counting the seconds then minutes until we finally reached Orochimaru's lair, praying that we would be there sooner rather than later.

* * *

It wasn't long ago when we both arrived at the underground. I would've never thought that I would be so relieved to be back living in the depths of darkness. Not because I loved living here, but due to recent events, I didn't want the chance of being held hostage by other villages happen ever again.

Right now, Kabuto and I stood once again in a vast room in front of none other than Orochimaru. As he gave us both a long look, I had the feeling he was examining us as if he felt that something was off or something was different and he wanted to know what it was exactly. After a while of studying every part of us, he allowed his lips to stretch into a smirk.

"Kabuto, I see you're still in one piece after your mission." He hummed in amusement. "Knowing the girl, I was sure she stood by her words and rip you into pieces but I guess that wasn't the case."

I frowned on his comment. "What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned in offense, crossing my arms.

"Oh, nothing really. I'm just glad I no longer have to find someone to replace Kabuto. You see, he's special and I hold him highly." He shrugged off my offended tone, throwing me a smirk instead.

"No kidding." I muttered to myself lowly, rolling my eyes.

I didn't need to see that Orochimaru was staring deeply at me, as if I was a priceless art piece. It made me both weirded out and uncomfortable at the same time.

"My Lord, our assigned mission ended successfully. We've collected all of the rare medicinal herbs listed in this scroll." Kabuto then spoke as he held out the mentioned scroll and the bag that carried the herbs.

Orochimaru turned to his loyal subordinate and grinned wickedly. "Excellent work. I expected nothing less from my two top medic ninja." He acknowledged in glee.

"I don't remember being _your_ property." I commented stubbornly, throwing him a cold glare.

"As long as you live in _my_ lair, you are indeed mine." He countered hardly with his smirk still on his pale face.

I scoffed at his claim. "If it weren't for you, Sasuke wouldn't get that damned curse mark, end up hungry for power, force me out of the village and live here in the dark. You have no right to claim me as your property." I ranted in a low tone, gripping my folded arms.

Orochimaru's smirk fell from his face and instead switched it with a blank, expressionless, meaning his next reaction or move was unknown to me. I was about to say more but then a strong hand instantly covered my mouth, preventing me from speaking anymore words. I rotated my head to the side, only to see it was Kabuto whose hand was currently on my mouth. I threw him a look that said, 'what the hell are you doing?' in which he replied with a hard look that looked like he said, 'keep your mouth shut if you want to live!' Knowing this, I begrudgingly gave in and he removed his hand from my lips. The grey haired male then turned to the snake in front of him as if what happened just a second ago didn't occur.

"If I may, Lord Orochimaru." He requested politely, gaining his lord's attention once again. "Is Sasuke Uchiha still absent for his mission?"

Hearing his question also grabbed my interest too, because I was also curious about Sasuke's whereabouts.

"Yes, he is." Orochimaru answered with a nod. "However I just received word that his mission is coming to an end and he'll be back after tomorrow the latest."

Hearing this made me feel nothing. Don't get me wrong, I would rather have Sasuke around because despite his current attitude and mindset, I was comfortable around him since I had been with him my entire life. However he wasn't present right now, which I was fine with really. In fact, now that I was free from duty and anyone else bothering me I could go on ahead and do my own thing. It was hard to do that since there was literally nothing to do in the undergrounds, but from experiencing this for over two years, I found some ways.

"Can I leave now? Or is my service is still needed?" I questioned tiredly, wanting to leave so I could do anything else but be here.

Orochimaru snickered at my whining question, then nodded. "Yes, dear. You may leave now."

I wasted to no time to leave the big empty room I stood in once he accepted my request. I nodded in gratitude and briefly glanced at Kabuto who also gave me a brief look himself. I broke eye contact and quickly walked towards the exit but not before I carefully shut the door. The second I stood in the long hallway, I breathed out all the air I held in. I was finally free from that snake for a while and now I could take a break for once.

Now if I could find my room, I could do just that.

* * *

 **Kabuto's POV:**

I gave a long look at the door Katsumi just walked out of a moment ago. I could understand that since she didn't like nor she was comfortable around him. True, Lord Orochimaru could be intimidating most of the time but he wasn't a complete monster. Then again, I had been around him for most of my life, so maybe I was just accustomed to it. Regardless, that damn girl was lucky her brother was holding him back from executing her on the spot; if it weren't for Sasuke, she would've been long dead. The amount of bravery and stubbornness she had against the sanin never ceased to amaze me.

"Kabuto…" I winced by my lord's call for me in which I graciously gave him all of my attention.

"Tell me… did something happen during your mission with the girl?" He asked lowly, sounding more curious than suspicious.

I never expected Lord Orochimaru to ask such a question. Indeed he was an extreme experimenter, which meant he was a curious man, however he was never curious about this sort of stuff. Plus, what did he meant in what context?

"What do you mean, my Lord?" I asked mannerly as I straightened my posture.

"The animosity between you two have changed a bit since you've arrived." He clarified as his head rested on his hand. "I figured that something happened that made you two change your perspectives on each other."

Hearing his reason made me gulp down the anxiousness I felt right now. We were barely here for an hour and he had already sensed that something off happened between us, which wasn't a good sign. I was never in a position where I was brutally punished for kissing another subordinate because no one really caught my interest so I wasn't sure how Lord Orochimaru would think or _react_ to that situation. He wasn't oblivious; he could sense lies from a mile away. If things go out badly, both Katsumi and I would be sent right to hell. On the other hand, my Lord wouldn't really mind or even care if he figured it out, knowing him. In fact, he probably wouldn't bat an eye if it happened in a continuous basis as long as it doesn't get in the way of his experiments and goals.

Regardless, I don't take chances and I wasn't going to start right now. I inhaled deeply and gave him a soft but convincing look.

"No, nothing out of the ordinary happened, my Lord. I can assure you." I answered courteously, lowering my head a bit.

Said sanin remained silent but had a long look on me as if he was trying to read deeper into my words to make sure I was genuine. It was then my anxiety increased; I was very skilled when it came to lying and hiding everything within me, but this was the great Orochimaru I was dealing with. It wasn't going to be easy convincing him and the chances of slipping past him was slim to none.

"If you don't mind me asking, Lord Orochimaru." I then spoke, trying my hardest to hide my hesitation and nervousness. "Is there a particular reason why you wish to know?"

I waited to hear his response as I mentally prepared myself for what was to come. But all he did was shrug his shoulders and spoke.

"No reason, really." He briefed softly, allowing his eyes to rest. "Curiosity is all."

Knowing him, I knew certainly that it was more than just curiosity. There was more he wanted to know.

"You're dismissed, Kabuto. You may rest yourself from that mission." He suddenly advised seriously, taking me back by surprise.

I wasn't sure what to do or say but bow my head in respect and kindness for his offer.

"Thank you, my Lord. I will." I responded respectively.

After he gave me a nod that signalled me to take my leave now, I walked out of the room myself and closed the door softly. I walked back to my room through the long, dark, echoing hallways. I tried to mentally calm myself down because Lord Orochimaru questioned my newly-founded connection with Katsumi. It was more likely that he wouldn't punish her nor I, however I wasn't certain if he was just curious about it since he would probably use this to his advantage.

Then again, there was nothing between us. What happened last night was just a fling and nothing more than that. I highly doubted Katsumi cared about me in that way while I don't like her in that way either. So even if Orochimaru wanted to do something for his benefit, it wouldn't matter nor would it be worth it. We were simply medical companions and nothing more.

Then again, I wasn't too sure if the raven haired kunoichi thought of me like that too.

* * *

 **Katsumi's POV:**

I was amazed when I glanced over at my wall clock and it read that I had been in my room for six hours straight. I had never been inside a shelter longer than two hours, never mind my room alone. I guess it was because I wanted to avoid that snake and another one of his extreme missions which could've killed me if I wasn't up my A-game. Or, it was probably because I felt super uncomfortable being in the same room with Kabuto and Orochimaru. It was already awkward enough that I suddenly kissed the grey haired male without him knowing and even go as far to _respond_ to the kiss, but the fact that the snake was also witnessing the tension between us made it even more unbearable.

I didn't know what Orochimaru would do to us if he figured out that I made out with his trusted assistant because I didn't recall a similar situation where Orochimaru was involved in punishing the person, so it could go either way. I wasn't so worried about me though since I already made it clear that I couldn't give a damn what he had to do or say because he was held back by the wrath of Sasuke. Saying this, my chances were better than Kabuto's due to him betraying his "lord's trust".

Speaking of Sasuke, my chances with him were far worse than I ever thought it would. Despite him being very distant towards me, I knew he was just as protective as he was in the past so his big brother instincts would kick in the second he heard the news about the kiss. Plus, the thought of me being near a guy made him sick to his stomach for some reason, even though I knew he was looking out for me. When he learned that I was dating Neji, he literally gave the Hyuga a death glare and if it were just the two of them, he would've gone after him with the intent to kill. Luckily, Naruto and Sakura had my back and with the three of us, Sasuke caved in and accepted our relationship which made me both shocked and excited

However this was a different situation. I intendedly kissed Kabuto, he kissed me back with the same amount of passion and it only happened because of pure curiosity and simply hormones getting the better of me. This was bad because Sasuke simply _disliked_ Kabuto for unknown reasons in my perspective, and hearing that the man had touched lips with his sister's would make him execute until there wasn't a Kabuto in sight anymore. Then he would probably turn his attention towards me and glare at me with a burning passion to punish me as well. I wouldn't be surprise because he would want to teach me a lesson for being a fool for kissing anyone by the likes of Kabuto. Regardless, if Sasuke figured it out, it would mean hell for the both of us.

After all of that stress thinking, I gave out a long, tired yawn as I covered it with one hand. I guess it was time for me to go to bed since it was a long boring day and I just came back from a long, tiring mission. I prayed that I wouldn't have another one tomorrow because I just couldn't deal anymore.

I quickly prepared myself to go to bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. Once I got out of the bathroom, I got under my bedcovers and gazed up at the ceiling with a blank mind. My mind had a huge habit of looking back in my life and remembering all of the unfortunate things that had happened to me, which was super annoying since I despised reliving those moments. Especially that faithful night where my family was murdered by that bastard, Itachi Uchiha. It wasn't really the fact that he killed our clan that made me want to see him rot in hell; it was much more personal than that. But I don't want to go into that because that always made me hold back a sob.

I decided that it was best to not think of anything else and just go to bed. That was the last thought I had until a horrifying one played in my mind of slumber.

 **Kabuto's POV:**

It was already late when I was close in finishing a study session with my books and notes that cluttered all over my desk. I was just finishing the last page of a book I was currently reading hardly on. This was part of the reason why people dubbed me as a "bookworm", and I was awfully proud of it. Reading was one of the main things I loved doing and never got bored of; it wasn't usually a good thing sometimes. However I thought ahead with that and prepared myself for bed hours ago just in case I was going to stay up late reading.

As my eyes scanned the words carefully, my mind starting having thoughts about a certain ravenette. Did Katsumi enjoyed reading too? If yes, what kinds of books she was interested in? Would she be interested in books of my favourite genre as much as I was?

I gritted my teeth at these questions; why the hell was I thinking about the girl in the first place? I shouldn't care less if she liked reading or not, it doesn't affect me in the slightest. I shouldn't be thinking about her in the first place because that would go in the wrong direction. I wanted to forbid myself from having feelings for the raven no matter what because it would end up in a big, unnecessary mess. Besides, she doesn't even mean that much to me in the first place so I shouldn't have to think about her all the time. She was beautiful and her personality outshone her beauty; I wasn't even hesitant to say that I was even attracted to her. But despite my personal feelings, it shouldn't get in the way of anything. My only priority was Lord Orochimaru and my focus must be on him and only him.

The second I concluded my thoughts, I closed my book shut and gave out a tired but satisfied sigh. Five books in one day; I was impressed since I only spent about five hours solely on reading. But now I was done, and it was really getting late. I got up from my chair and stretched my sore limbs from sitting there for a long span of time. I walked over to my personal restroom and scanned broadly at my reflection. I saw that my image wore the exact same clothes as myself: fitted, black, sleeveless shirt, and a dark pair of shorts that complimented my shirt. I lifted my attention towards my face to see myself not wearing my glasses which made me look like a different person.

Legitimately and hypothetically.

As my mind wandered away from reality, I heard a distant, soft mumbling within the restroom. I raised an eyebrow at it because it sounded awfully like a child crying in his/her sleep but there were no children or anyone close to being a child so it was very peculiar indeed. What was also peculiar was that it was coming from where Katsumi's room was located. The thought made me both anxious and suspicious; this was the first time I faced this sort of situation. The idea of ignoring it and just head to bed crossed my mind since it was really late, but this new circumstance was too good to pass by. Plus, what if Katsumi was in trouble? I avoided dealing with Sasuke's wrath since he arrived and I would like for that to continue.

I huffed my tiredness out of me and slid my feet towards my bedroom door. With bare feet, I treaded through the long quiet hallways towards the unknown noise coming from a distant down the path. It was so silent and dead within the lair during the night. To be honest, it was always quiet in here as days, weeks, months, years went by but when the sun went down, it was more dull and depressing despite the lack of windows. As I walked towards the noise, it noticeably got louder and clearer which made me concern because it sounded exactly like Katsumi's voice; by the sounds of it, it wasn't anything that sounded positive.

I finally made it to Katsumi's bedroom door and was prepared to bust down the door to witness the situation myself. However, knowing the girl, if something wasn't the matter she would shred me into pieces if I barged into her room without permission. Just to be safe, I placed one ear on the wooden entrance as I enhanced my hearing to visualize what was taking placed in that room. All I heard was sobbing and soft cries of plea through the hollow surface which made the situation all the more confusing. What was going on in there? To find the answer, I had to welcome myself into Katsumi's room resulting a possible injury by said female. Once I gathered up the courage, I turned the doorknob and opened the door as I stepped foot into the girl's room. The second I heard a painful whimper from aside, I followed the noise with my eyes which led to the raven's bed in which she laid in currently; so she was the one who made that noise.

But why exactly?

I curiously walked over to her bed and sat on the edge gently so I wouldn't wake her up from her deep sleep. But I don't think it was really necessary because she was knocked out hard by the looks of it. I focused most of my attention on her lightly-tanned face while she continued to breathe shakenly and whimper in fear; she was probably having a deep dream. Specifically, a nightmare. I didn't think too much of it since nightmares were common for almost everyone, especially with those who experienced certain events. So if I was correct, she was simply having a frightening nightmare.

I placed my hand on her shoulder as I shook her softly, trying to wake her up from her bad dream.

"Katsumi? Katsumi, wake up. You're having a nightmare." I called her softly as I shook her slightly harder, forcing her to wake up from her deep slumber.

Unfortunately, she didn't responded to my words nor did she responded to me shaking her physically. In fact, all it did made her even more petrified and I could see thin strings of tears falling from her closed eyes. That raised my concern because not only she wasn't responding to me at all, but she wasn't here in reality psychologically and mentally. I attempted to wake her up again but this time, I removed my hand from her shoulder and placed it on her cheek. I gently but firmly slapped against her soft skin to snap her out of her nightmare.

"Damn it, Katsumi! Wake up already! Can you hear me?!" I called her closely to her ear loudly, ignoring the result that might happen if she caught me in her room on her bed.

But even that didn't wake her up. However, after failing to wake her up the second time, she started talking in her sleep as if she were awake. I leaned closer to her to catch some stuff she was saying.

"No… just… stay away…" She whimpered softly as her body shivered in fear.

Her shivering was very critical, it started getting uncontrollable. She was severely deep in her dream, it was literally reality to her and that was dangerous for many reason. This could result in sleepwalking and since she was a highly-trained kunoichi, she could attack and kill anyone in her sleep. That would cause a lot of trouble in which I would be held responsible for letting it happen in the first place. I huffed loudly, feeling stumped.

"Blood… so much blood… shredded flesh… everyone dead…" I heard her mumble again in a sob, curling herself in a ball under her covers.

Hearing this made me intrigued. The fact that she was talking in her sleep, incapable of waking up, and having a horrific nightmare; this wasn't just a bad dream. She was having sleep terrors while being under sleep paralysis. It made sense as to why she was having a bad dream and why she couldn't wake up from it. If that was the case, then waking her up was out of the question. Though she wasn't in the stage of sleep where she was sleepwalking, she was still in a deep sleep which was dangerous if I forced her out of her deep sleep. It would shock her, agitate her, and possibly she would try to murder me since her mind would be fogging and forget that I wasn't a stranger temporarily.

But I also couldn't leave her as she was. If I did she would end up sleepwalking and she could turn the whole place upside-down which wasn't good for anyone. So leaving her like this was also out of the question. The only solution I could come up with on the spot was bring her to my room and she could spend the night with me. But I had doubts if I should go on with it.

For starters, I was trying to get Katsumi off my mind because she was disorganizing my priorities and it was raising the suspicion by the likes of Orochimaru. Plus, her brother would literally erase me from existence. But most importantly, how would she react when she woke up in the same bed I was sleeping on myself.

But I had to remember that I was doing this to keep herself from doing something dangerous and regrettable; this had nothing to do with my personal feelings. Having thought that, I don't know exactly where my feelings laid when it comes to the girl but it shouldn't matter because said person was living in a horrible reality within her mental state.

Once again, Katsumi and I would be sleeping under the same roof tonight.

I gave out a groan and reached over to gently remove the covers from the raven's body. I eyed at the nightwear she had on once the blanket was lifted off of her: a fitted black tank top and indigo shorty shorts that hugged her curves perfectly. I wasn't going to lie, I slightly blushed at the sight I was seeing; for someone who had a perfect body and was beautiful and they didn't even know it blew my mind.

I shook that thought out of my head immediately, remaining focused on my current task. I got up from her bed and walked over toward the long length of the bed as my eyes never left the sleeping female. I carefully slipped my arms under her body and lifted her up from her mattress while I now held her in bridal style. During this whole process, Katsumi was muttering random things as she softly cried, begging for mercy; whatever was happening in that head of hers, it must had been horrifying. She was still moving around quite a bit, making it a bit difficult for me to carry her in a comfortable position for the both of us. To regain my energy, I sat back down on the edge of the bed as I held the ravenette firmly in my arms.

I sighed tiredly. "Why does this always happen to me?" I glanced towards the girl sleeping in my grasp. "Do you always need someone there to help you?" I questioned in annoyance, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

A moment past when I winced at her sudden change in movement. Her body wasn't shaking as much as before, however she looked more calm and secure. Though still shivering, she cuddled into my embrace as her breathing brushed me just below my chin. Plus, she also placed a hand on my chest and gripped onto it softly, as if she begged me to not leave her side. Whatever was happening in that dream of hers, it must had been crazy since I was basically cradling her. Her face snuggled against my neck as she gave out a calming sigh. I couldn't help but gaze down at the girl who seemed to have calmed down meaning her dream turned from scary into delightful; she simply wasn't the type of girl I had seen before. Her appearance was bold, gorgeous, and graceful when in actuality, she was more of a tomboy than a girl. Probably because she grew up surrounded by mostly men, so it made sense.

"You know, you're much more peaceful when you're not awake, in my opinion." I commented jokingly to myself, highly doubting that she heard my words.

Then, the girl's next words threw me off guard.

"Thank you… thank you so much…" She groggily cried in a soft voice as her shivers started up again.

My eyes widened at this because I wasn't sure if that was her response to my comment. That or she was talking in her sleep again, meaning she was referring her thanks within her dream in which she said it out loud for me to hear. But to who? I couldn't think of anyone off the top of my head because she hadn't been grateful to anyone since living in the lair. Sasuke was out of the question since he was being a deadbeat brother to her, in all honesty here. Lord Orochimaru never paid attention to the girl's feelings, so he was out too. The only possibility was me which was mind-blowing.

Then again, she had been a lot softer towards me and even kinder to. She basically risked her life to save mine and completed the mission all by herself in which she never wanted to do in the first place. There was a slight chance that I upgraded from hate to dislike in her opinion. Regardless, it wasn't certain if she really was dreaming about me or if I was a part of her dream.

But why? Why was I a part of her dream? What does that mean anyway?

I subconsciously leaned in and gave a soft peck on her forehead. I don't know why, but it felt right to do it. She instantly gave a small smile the second my lips left her forehead as her breathing became slow and calm; her nightmare finally came to an end. However, I couldn't leave her in her room or else the sleep terrors would come back, making the situation all the more difficult.

For precaution, I carefully got up my feet with the raven sleeping in my arms. I walked out of her bedroom and retraced my steps back to my own room. I skillfully opened the door then closed it and made my way towards my bed. I set aside my blankets and placed her on the mattress near against the wall to prevent her from falling off in her sleep. I placed myself on the mattress as I placed the covers on Katsumi. I placed my head on my pillow and eyed the sleeping ravenette that was inches away from me, sleeping blissfully. My hand reached over and removed a piece of her hair from her face and placed it behind her ear.

It was a moment later when I was about to fall asleep myself, I felt a pair of slim arms wrapping around my torso which made me jump to the sudden touch of another. I snapped my eyes wide open only to see Katsumi now just less than an inch away from my face as her breath fanned my own every time her body fell from her breathing. I also noticed that her arms were tightly around my waist, cuddling against my body. My cheeks turned light pink right in front of her sleeping face, gazing directly at her. The first thing I did was wrap my own arms around her and pulled her closer towards me. Her hold on me was simply comforting and relaxing, and I was pretty sure she felt the same way by the look on her sleeping face. I even gathered up the courage to pull her even closer to the point where my face was partially buried in her thick, dark, bangs. The scent of her hair smelled heavenly; I pictured the smell to be both floral, fruity, and a hint of vanilla. There were a lot of things elegant and glamourous about the Uchiha female that she had no clue of; it was really surprising she felt low about herself when she was amazing in every angle.

This had nothing to do to with feelings or attraction whatsoever, I was simply being honest. She really was an amazing person who placed a thick wall in front to defend herself from getting hurt. I wished I could show her that not every single person she met wasn't a bad person; she had to learn to trust others and their judgement. I knew this because I admittedly brought down my own defense when we were on our previous mission and she immediately picked up that I wasn't a heartless, lying spy; I was like everyone else who had an uneasy past. So it didn't matter if I had feelings for her or my hormones were going nuts for her sexiness, I liked Katsumi in a friendly sense.

That was all I thought of her, I concluded; she was nothing more or less than a friend whether she felt the same way or not. A friend who was perfect inside and out, and secretly had a pure heart and soul.

The thought of the ravenette was enough to put me into a blissful dream.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And sorry again for the late post. I really hope I get to post chapters more frequent soon but I doubt it since I have double the stuff to do.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**

 **I hope…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's the first chapter with double digits!**

 **I don't own Naruto, and if I did, I would be a rich mofo.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: An Unwanted Situation (Part 1)**

I thought I was stuck in hell the moment I closed my eyes. I don't know how the nightmare started, I don't know why I had the nightmare in the first place, and I had absolutely no clue the meaning nor message of the nightmare. I might've if I wasn't fearing for my life in dreamland.

I normally don't get nightmares or even bad dreams simply because I just don't. So the fact that I just had one was really puzzling. Things happened for a reason, and I strongly believed that there was a reason why I had that nightmare. It was trying to tell me something, but I don't know what. Nevertheless, my endless slumber finally came to an end.

I groggily lifted my heavy eyelids as my vision slowly but surely adjusted to my new surroundings. Though I was still extremely tired and groggy, my body felt warm and toasty as if I was wrapped around a big fluffy towel that came right out of the dryer. Ironically, I also felt like I was wrapped by this warm sensation around me. It made me feel both safe and secure; I wanted to stay like this for as long as possible. However, the moment I attempted to adjust my position, comfort instantly turned into confusion and fear. It was then I realized that I wasn't wrapped around in a fluffy towel nor even a blanket. The only thing I could distinguish was warm, toned skin that my arms were exposed to; it hit me that there was a pair of strong arms that enveloped my body. What I also noted was that the warm comforting heat that was ventilating on me came from body heat of another who also happened to be the same other that held me tightly against their chest. Speaking of which, I could hear the hollow, pumping muscle thumping within his chest at a slow, but calming rate.

It came to my attention that this stranger wasn't the only one who enjoyed his embrace on me because I too had my arms wrapped firmly around a torso that was obviously male based on its built and structure. That made me extra anxious because I had no clue what happened during my sleep so I was both curious and worried as to what happened that resulted in me sleeping and cuddling with a male in the same bed. I was scared for the worst though I looked like I woke up the next day from a hangover.

I used my strength to remove one of my arms from under the male's arm and placed it on his chest, attempting to push myself off of him. Unfortunately, it did nothing but earned a tired grunt from the man as he moved a bit in his sleep. I prayed that he hadn't woke up because it would lead to more awkwardness, and it was too early in the morning to deal with that stuff. Then again, it was hard to tell if whether or not it was morning since Orochimaru never considered having windows at all. As my mind slightly side-tracked on that thought, I sensed from the palm of my hand on his chest that the said male's breathing proceeded in a slow pace, indicating that he went back to sleep.

I sighed in relief and laid there for a slight moment. But due to my fatigue, I didn't know the truth until I heard a low voice just above my eyes.

"I see that you're awake…" The man slurred tiredly as he sounded that he was almost half asleep.

The voice was all too familiar to my ears; I knew exactly who I slept with on the exact same bed, who had his arms around me securely, and who held me against his body firmly like a kid with his teddy bear.

"Kabuto…" I breathed out the name of the man whose chest my hand was glued on.

Said person grunted in response, confirming that he was who I claimed he was, which made me both lost and blank minded. What in the hell happened in my sleep that led me to this situation?

"And I see you and I are laying in the same bed…" I countered softly, staring hardly at his manly chest which was clothed by a fitted top.

Kabuto modified his position to make himself more comfortable in which I too moved always due to his grip on me. After settling in the mattress, he huffed out the stress from the physical discomfort as his body relaxed, assuming that he was going back to sleep. However, I could sense that he still remained conscious which led me to speak the first thing that popped in my mind.

"Why in the bloody _hell_ are you in _my_ room, sleeping on _my_ bed?" I questioned in a seething tone, demanding an answer from him.

Though tired, he let out a chuckle, finding both my question and tone amusing to him.

"I should be saying the same exact thing, considering you're actually in _my_ room sleeping on _my_ bed." He briefly implied out of pure amusement.

His answer raised my eyebrow, and he sensed this as he continued on his explanation.

"You're actually not in your room, you're in my room." He clarified in a tired sigh.

My lips parted in disbelief; why was I in four eyes' room to begin with? And mostly importantly, why was I willingly cuddling with him?

"Why the hell am I here in the first place, you pervert?" I growled lowly, blankly staring at his chest.

I was taken aback when Kabuto shifted his position swiftly. He used his grip on me to slide my body upward to the point where we were looking at each other, face to face. The look he gave me: under the tiredness on the surface of his pupils, I saw a glint of admiration and compassion he hid so much. It was those things that he held for me and I knew this because he was being genuine about his emotions, and even though he was a high-ranked spy who hid their emotions like they were never there, I could easily tell through his fake persona.

"Don't point the finger on me for laying my hands on you. It was you who started the cuddling in the first place." He mentioned blankly as his arms remained around me.

I simply blinked at his answer, hiding the fact that I was shocked by his defense and not knowing if I believed him or not.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I inquired in annoyance.

Kabuto sighed at my rebellion in which fanned my skin and caused my bangs to gain a bit of altitude. It sent shivers down my spine with adrenaline and anxiety.

"I told you before." He reminded as he gave me a hard look. "I have no intention in using your body for my personal pleasure, nor do I ever consider it. I respect you and your limits and I won't dare to touch you without consent."

I repeated the words he said in my mind, trying to read between the lines to see if he meant anything that opposed his explanation.

"Then why do you have your arms around me?" I then questioned more out of curiosity than out of demand as I lowered my gaze.

"It was simply a response to your actions." He answered simply which made me gasp in confusion and shock.

Kabuto interpreted this cue as permission to continue on his explanation, in which he did.

"You were having night terrors and the second you held onto me, you seemed to have calmed down regardless of your nightmare. As much as you want to deny, I knew you needed comfort in which I gave that comfort to you by holding you close to remind you that you were safe." He justified as his eyelid covered the look in his eyes.

A warm, soothing sensation blossomed within my chest by hearing his words. As I didn't want to show nor admit to him that hearing that made me feel somewhat special, I could help but blush lightly and show a glint of appreciation in my eyes.

"Well, I don't know what to say to that exactly…" I muttered gently, I was unsure what words I to use as a response.

Seeing this made Kabuto chuckle entertainingly.

"I'm surprised that you of all people are at a loss of words." He smirked then leaned closer towards me until his forehead rested on my own. "Don't worry about it, I don't expect you to say anything."

With his lips only an inch away from mine made the butterflies in my stomach go crazy, as if they were escaping from flames. However those flames I mentioned was actually the burning feeling in my stomach growing by the minute. Sometimes I hated being a girl who had hyper hormones.

Luckily for me, Kabuto finally released me from his tight but comforting grip and hoisted himself into a sitting position on the edge of his bed. Without saying a single word, he walked over to another door across the room, presumably his closet and walked right into it the second he opened the door as I remained laying on his bed like a sick puppy. The only thing I recalled thinking about was how big his closet was if he could easily walked into it like it was another room.

It had been a while, but the grey haired ninja finally walked out of the huge closet just as silent when he was walking towards it. I instantly noticed that he was no longer in his sleepwear and instead was clothing for the day, and what I meant by that was he wore the same outfit he had on every single damn since the say I met him or even long before that maybe.

"Exactly what happened last night?" I suddenly blurted out the question that bothered me since realizing that I was sleeping with Kabuto in his room.

He turned his attention towards me when he heard my question and he rotation his body until he completely faced me.

"I figured you'd be curious about that so allow me to sum up what happened for you." He offered simply with a small grin.

I was silent on his offer, however I gave him a look that said to please proceed which he gratefully did.

"To be simply put, I was about to go to bed myself when I heard your slurring speech, soft cries of plea, and so on. At first I was curious since it was coming from where your room is located so I decided to investigate. When I arrived at your room, you were crying, talking, begging, slurring in your sleep which I didn't think too much of since I originally thought that you were simply having a nightmare and I tried to wake you up since it was that bad since you were literally shedding tears. But after a couple of attempts, I knew it was more serious than a simple nightmare; you were having night terrors in which you can't wake up from due to your nightmare being very lucid and seem reality."

I remained silent as I listened to every single one of his words.

"As you already know, waking you up from night terrors are dangerous for both you and I since there was a good chance your Uchiha self-defence mechanism would kick in by the sight of an 'intruder' and strike at me which would possibly lead to death. Plus, you would end up having a huge panic attack once you wake up. However, I couldn't just leave you in your room alone because there was also a chance of you sleepwalking, which is also dangerous because God knows what a sleepwalker would do without realization. So my best bet was to bring you here in my room to watch over you and make sure you don't cause trouble for anyone, including yourself. Besides, you looked like you were going through hell in that head of yours and keeping you warm and comfortable helped, didn't it?" He ended his summary of last night with a smirk on his face, waiting for me to say something about the last part.

To be honest, I don't see any reason to lie that he was wrong because I was too tired and fed up not letting four eyes getting the satisfaction.

"If what you're saying is true, then I guess you're right." I shrugged nonchalantly, looking aside.

That reply was enough for the grey haired medic-nin to grin in victory. "Of course, I'm right. No need to thank me."

I scoffed at his cockiness. "Don't pretend you're a hero, four eyes. I never thanked you."

But just between us, I was thankful for what he did regardless his need to rest up as well.

"So, what were you dreaming about anyway?" I heard him ask me out of the blue.

I winced at his question as I blinked up at him.

"Why so curious?" I questioned solidly, crossing my arms.

Kabuto shrugged. "I'm just curious. Barely anything fazes you, and the fact that you were sobbing in your sleep, it must be something big." He hypothesized.

I avoided having eye contact with him because Kabuto always seemed to know me better every single time we were around each other and it got to the point where I felt he was examining me and reading me like a book, a good book.

"Is it about your brother, Itachi?" He guessed in a serious tone although he sounded more like he was sure of his assumption.

I gasped appallingly, stunned that his first guess was literally on the spot. But I refused to say anything because it was bad enough that he had to cradle me like a little kid and sleep with him like a child who slept with his parents because he/she didn't want to sleep alone with a monster or whatever. I folded my arms once again in a defensive matter, being the stubborn person I was. To my dismay, it only made Kabuto smirk at my rebellion.

"Don't pretend that I'm not right." He chuckled in amusement, placing his hands on his hips. "It is about Itachi, isn't it?"

I gritted my teeth as he mocked me.

"Even if you're right, why of all things would you guess that heartless bastard?" I hissed angrily, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Like I just said, barely anything fazes you except for that. The fact that you brother did what he did that changed you forever." He answered calmly, placing a blank look on his face. "Also, I bet you were reliving that night where he killed every member of your clan except you and Sasuke. Except, in your nightmare, he continued every single person you loved and cared about until it was only you. The fact that you couldn't save anyone made you feel guilty, made you feel worthless, made you feel so much you felt nothing but horror and fear. That was why you were begging for mercy, right? For your life and for others which you unfortunately couldn't save."

I unfolded my arms after hearing his prediction of what my dream was about, which he basically hit it right on the nail. I couldn't even correct him or say that he was wrong because he was right and he knew he was right; there was no point in saying he wasn't. I lowered my gaze as my eyes had a new sudden interest on my hands in which they stared immensely at them. After a moment of sulking to myself, I felt the mattress move downward a bit due to more weight being put onto the mattress. A hand magically appeared and gently held my chin which forced me to lift my gaze to look ahead. The first thing I laid eyes on was a pair of dark eyes looking softly back at me. It was after a couple of blinks when I realized it was Kabuto who held my chin and who sat in front of me. I gazed deeply at his eyes where I saw glimpse of empathy and sympathy; his soft look was one of the things that drawn me towards him.

"Don't let your past affect you because whatever happens, happens, and everything happens for a reason. Don't dwell on your past and especially don't dwell on Itachi because he's not worth your time. Just forget about him and move on." He told me solidly but in a compassionate tone.

I could feel my eyes becoming glossy by hearing his heartfelt words. He may sound serious and even irritated, but understanding where he was coming from, he was just looking out for me. I don't know he was or why he should, but it felt good either way.

Said person got up from the bed once again and grabbed what seemed to be a navy blue cloak which he gracefully put on that was twice his size, but that was the point: to make himself not noticeable. The cloak also had an oversized hood that almost covered his entire head with the exception of his face. He glanced over at me as I had a curious look on my face because for some reason he was getting ready to head out which I wasn't aware of. He probably sensed it because he placed a playful smile on his face.

"I'm heading out now. I have some errands to do for Lord Orochimaru, so I'll be back later." He proclaimed beamingly, sounding happy about it for some reason.

I never understood why of all people, the damn bookworm bowed down to that snake.

"Feel free to stay as long as you please, but touch any of my valuables, you will pay for it, okay?" He offered kindly as he gave a low-key threat to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him and I earned a laugh from him then he walked out of the room. Just when he was about to close the door, he stopped to give me a long soft look. I don't know what message he was trying to send but it was too late to ask because he left a moment later, leaving me alone in his room. I didn't know how long I remained sitting on the bed, having my thoughts roam freely in my mind but I got bored so I decided to get out of here. Before I left Kabuto's room, I took a quick look at my appearance to heck if I looked decent enough to not change into day clothes. Satisfied, I walked out of the room and towards my own room which took a while since I had never been in Kabuto's room before, I wasn't sure the directions to take to get from point A to point B.

After twenty minutes of wandering around, I was finally able to locate my bedroom which seemed to be at the other side of the lair from where four eyes usually slept. The minute I walked in, I went straight to my bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I walked out of the bathroom and decided that I should go to the inside training ground and practice my skills. I had mentioned a while ago that there was nothing for me to train since I basically mastered everything I was required to know from Orochimaru, Kabuto, and even Sasuke. However, when I had nothing to do, I usually go to the inner training ground and practice my taijutsu and stuff like that. I walked out of the room and headed towards the training ground.

* * *

I arrived at the inner training ground and the first thing I wanted to do was work on my flexibility and my acro skills. These two components were my favourite hobbies since I was a child; it helped me got through hardships with my family and my father, etc. It was because of this, my taijutsu was very unique, once said by Kakashi-sensei. Thinking about my sensei really made me miss him and Squad 7 as a whole. The good times we had: Naruto and Sasuke butting heads, Sakura with her intense crush on Sasuke, Kakashi reading his pornographic novels, and all the times we ate ramen at Ichiraku. Those were really the good days and the only times I felt like I belonged.

I shook those feelings away as I stood on my hands in a handstand position. I easily walked towards the other end of the room and gracefully flipped forward to land on my feet. I straightened myself and started running across the room, gaining momentum and speed. I then lifted my arms up and brought myself forward, performing a forward aerial which was one of my favourite acrobatic moves. I continued doing a number of more until I stopped in the middle of the room, panting slowly. I then lowered myself into the straddle splits to regain my energy and mentality. I was discouraged by the fact that even doing something I loved wasn't taking my mind off of a certain male. I don't know why because Kabuto wasn't that special to me. I would admit that I no longer hated him, even disliked him for that matter. I actually grew respect for him for his medical interests and his true personality. Even though he had lied and held no remorse for it, I couldn't shake off the feeling that he had no choice but to lie about everything, and that I felt for him.

But what does that mean? Was he just a friend or something deeper?

I huffed out the frustration built within me and placed both of my hands in front of me as I applied my weight on them. It wasn't until a second later when I used my upper body strength to lift myself off of the splits and into another handstand once again. My legs were still separated wide apart, doing the splits in the air. I then brought my legs together in the air into a perfectly straight handstand and I probably stayed like that for a couple of minutes having thought to myself.

It was probably about five minutes later when I heard the entrance door open then closed. I didn't bother checking who it was because it was definitely someone I hadn't crossed paths with and that everyone who I associated with wasn't present in the lair. I kept my eyes glued to the ground and waited for the stranger to speak and state his/her purpose in being here.

"Miss Uchiha, I wish to speak to you." The stranger's voice spoke dull but confidently.

Right off the bat, I knew it was a male by his voice. I also knew right away that he was one of Orochimaru's henchmen which brought an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I never liked Orochimaru's henchmen because they were all the same; weak-minded wimps who had no life but others. Those who were followers and not leaders pissed me off the greatest. Sure it was hypercritical for me to say but I at least try to escape from the snake's orders which failed. On my defense, it was both be a good girl and do what I was told or get executed by the snake and by the words of Kabuto, I actually value my life. My eyes avoided looking at the male because my mind was finally relieved of any stress and whatever he had to say to me would just bring it back.

"What is it?" I questioned in a grunt, clearly expressing that I was no in the mood to be bothered.

He completely ignored my irritated answer I threw at him and continued what he was sent to do.

"Lord Orochimaru wishes your presence." He purposed the invitation from said snake, waiting for my response.

Obviously, I wanted to say no but that was pointless because that definition was never known to Orochimaru even if it hit him in the head. Besides, I was in no mood in fighting anyone right now. Even if I were to decline regardless, I could guarantee this ninja would attempt placing a genjutsu on my or attack me just to force me to go to him. As much as kicking his ass would be quite relaxing, it wouldn't work at my advantage because all of Orochimaru's lairs had built in chakra reserves in the walls that maintained its strength, endurance, and structure from force, energy and such. When Sasuke and I arrived, Orochimaru gave us the heads-up about it and told us that the walls absorbed thirty to fifty percent of our chakra to refill the chakra supply. This ability was also used to locate where each specific person was by using the chakra absorbed from us and made sure that we wouldn't do anything suspicious. If I attempted to attack this person, I would already be low in chakra since these damn walls were absorbing my chakra. Plus, Orochimaru would end up being angered by my actions and if he were to discipline me, I wouldn't be able to defend myself.

Despite all this, it didn't shake off the curiosity of what the snake wanted from me this time because it could be anything when it came to Orochimaru.

"You're assigned to an errand." He answered straight-forwardly.

It wasn't until his last response when I finally glanced at the male who didn't look unique at all to say the least. Like all of the snake's slaves, his face was dull and stoic just as much as both of my older brothers. Difference was that Itachi was simply a heartless person who should just screw himself and Sasuke… well, he was like that his whole life so there wasn't anything to it really.

"What kind of errand is it?" I asked him as I positioned myself with my hands to face him. "And why me of all people?"

"I'm not exactly informed by that detail, however Orochimaru is need of someone who is available and you are the only one who can complete it." He briefly answered, his body completely still with only his lips being the one part that was moving.

I scoffed at his answer and pounced off of the ground from my hands, landing gracefully in a crouching position. "Please. If an errand is the only thing he wants from me, it doesn't make a difference if he asks someone else to do it." I pointed out as I stood on my feet.

"But Lord Orochimaru only wishes you. And he'll continue until you accept." He prompted in a begging tone.

I knew he was persistent because all of them were, and saying no would be pointless. Besides, I guess it wouldn't be too bad to do this "errand" since it seemed to be easy enough and I don't really have anything else to do. I let out a defeated sigh and marched towards the door as I slid past the male messenger.

"Tell him I'll meet him in a moment; I have to get dressed." I told him blankly and left it at that when I left the room, leaving him behind.

 _'What the hell does that snake what this time?'_ I thought to myself both in curiosity and frustration, praying that whatever he wanted from me, it was something morally reasonable.

* * *

I gave out a small sneeze within the dust I became oddly fond of. I hated being in dusty places because it got in my eyes, irritated my nose and witnessing it as a whole was simply miserable. Why did I accept to do this errand again? Probably because Orochimaru left some significant details until the very last minute. And because of this, I was stuck under the floors of the underground lair inside a cluttered, dark, vast storage room. It looked more like a messy, moist basement to me and that thought made me gag a bit.

" _The errand is actually quite simple: locate and obtain two foreign Leaf scrolls inside the lair's storage room underground. I stole them from the Leaf's Sealed Hall for my experiment back when I was jonin there. Since then, I kept it securely in the storage room in case it's needed. Would you be the one to do the honors?"_ Orochimaru's exact words repeated within my head, resulting a scoff from my mouth.

Damn that snake, of course I had to do the honors. It was either that or death and I couldn't afford to die. Firstly, I had barely heard about the Sealed Hall but I knew it was so dangerous that the village had to put up numerous of seals. Secondly, the reason behind getting the scrolls was still unknown but I didn't care at the same time. I just wanted to find these scrolls and get the hell out of there.

I groaned loudly in frustration; I couldn't seem to find neither of the scrolls and I was getting super impatient. I was ready to scream and bring the whole placed down. Now that I thought about it, a mission wasn't as bad as I thought.

As I rummaged through the clutter and objects in front of me, scouring every single angle, I immediately felt a presence of another behind me and they were slowly moving towards where I stood. However I didn't reacted right away; I waited for the right moment to strike. The second the stranger's hand was hovering behind my shoulder, I turned on my heel swiftly and attacked the intruder behind me. Because it was so dark and there was only a mere light stick lighting up the darkness, I wasn't able to pinpoint the identity of the person. I was currently on top of the figure with me sitting on their back and with one of their arms pulled behind them, preventing any movement. I glared coldly at the back of his head; the situation before and now didn't help with my current mood.

Mostly because the person I was sitting on was someone I wasn't happy to see.

"Dammit, Kabuto. Can you be any more unbearable?" I groaned irritably, showing him how exasperated I was and how much he made it worse.

Kabuto merely chuckled at my annoyance. "I don't know. Can you be any tenser?" He countered jokingly with a smirk despite my weight on his chest.

I could already tell a nerve popped out of my forehead. "It's your own damn fault creeping up behind me like that!" I snapped exasperatedly, pulling his arm back even further.

Kabuto merely grunted in pain and discomfort, then he let out a cocky laugh.

"I'd thought you had already known it was me from the start, turns out I was wrong." He hummed in fake dismay, testing my patience.

I tsked at his smugness. "You jerk, you know that I'm only average at sensory ninjutsu, especially when I'm down twenty percent of chakra!" I snapped, placing my available hand on my hip.

I heard him sigh as he admitted in defeat. "Yeah, you're right."

I blinked at his comment; for once, he admitted that he was wrong in front of my face, just like that.

"The hell? No comeback, no witty comment? Just simply saying that I was right?" I questioned in confusion.

Kabuto did his best to side-glance and look up at me with a smug look.

"If I said something, it will anger you to the point where I'd risk my arms getting snapped into two." He responded simply.

I took offense of his explanation as I spat, "Hey, I'm not that hotheaded!"

He giggled sarcastically at my words. "I didn't say that, you're just implying that I am. What I mean is that you won't hold back in breaking my arm if I said the wrong thing. Besides, you were correct so there's point in amending."

The look on my face changed into a calmer, collected look after he clarified what he said. I guess I had to read more between the lines rather than reacting to what I first-handily hear.

"Can you get off of me now? It's getting harder and harder to breathe." I heard him asked kindly, hearing slight heaves from him.

I nonchalantly stood onto my feet and moved aside for him to get on his own feet. I watched him as he dusted his clothes from being on the dirty floor, which I couldn't blame him; it was dirty in here and needed to be cleaned.

"What are you even doing here, anyway?" I interrogated hardly, narrowing my eyes at him.

Kabuto looked up from his clothing and gave me a simply, dull look.

"Just thought I could give you some company." He hummed cockily, shrugging his shoulders.

I rolled my eyes at his self-boosting comment. "Better than being here all alone." I commented dismissively as I went back to searching for the two scrolls.

"So for the first time, you don't mind my presence? My, how much you've changed, Katsumi…" He analyzed as he sounded impressed; he sounded like a father taking in the fact that his little girl was growing up.

"Do you always state the obvious?" I gritted in irritation as I focused scanning through the piles of crap in front of me.

Kabuto completely ignored my comment and moved his mind onto a different topic.

"Are you looking for something?" He asked humorously, as if he told a funny joke.

However, I wasn't laughing.

I snapped my head to the side, throwing him a deadly glare. "No, I happen to have an interest looking aimlessly at this pile of crap for no reason!" I hissed sarcastically, ready to murder the boy if he got on my last nerve.

"Oh, don't be like that." He pouted playfully at me, cocking her head to the side. "We were getting along better lately…"

"Will you just shut up for once, four eyes!? Stop distracting me!" I snapped perturbingly.

The look on Kabuto's face shifted from smug and cockiness, to offense and displease.

"What's the matter with you, anyway?" He inquired irritably.

I huffed out my frustration loudly and spun towards him, throwing him a fed-up stare.

"Because of you and Sasuke being unavailable at the time, I'm stuck assigned to this stupid errand to find the damn sealing scrolls in a dirty, stuffy, cluttered, disgusting, moldy dump of a storage for God's knows what and I can't find them anywhere, my patience is wearing thin by the second and you standing there, talking like as if I give a damn about what you're saying. All I want is to find the scrolls of hell and get the hell out of here where there's fresher air and I can do my own thing." I ranted aimlessly, taking my frustrations out on the male that I held in since arriving here.

I realized that the grey haired male was awfully quiet; not making a comment at all. I adjusted my focus and turned my attention to something he held out with his hand. Said object made me gasp in surprise; it was one of the sealing scrolls that I was looking for, and now it was there right in front of me.

How in the hell did he found it that quickly and easily? And when?

"That's—."

"Yep, one of the two sealing scrolls from the Sealed Hall." He confirmed smugly, throwing a grin in the mix.

"When the hell did you find it? And so fast too?" I questioned in awe as my eyes were glued to the scroll, one of the tickets to get out of the dump.

"When you were sitting on me. I noticed this stuffed under there when I was at ground level." He answered as his index finger pointed downward in which my eyes followed.

I could instantly see a pile of whatever and a small tunnel-like whole made with the stuff and floor, hinting that the scroll was sitting there the whole time.

"Well, at least I'm one more scroll away from getting out of here." I shrugged nonchalantly, turning around and continued searching for the second scroll.

I heard Kabuto sigh in disappointment as if I was oblivious to something which I wasn't sure of what exactly nor that I really cared. But his next words stopped my track a bit.

"Why won't you just use your Sharingan to locate it? It'll make it a lot easier and save up a lot of time." He suggested in bore.

I glanced over my shoulder at him, giving him a dull but questioning look.

"How can I? The Sharingan can only detect chakra, not the object itself." I pointed out.

"That's why you should use your Sharingan." He repeated himself, this time in an encouraging tone.

I gasped at his words and rotated myself until I was completely facing him once again as I waited patiently for him to continue.

Kabuto rolled my eyes at me. "The sealed scrolls Orochimaru requested from you? They have forbidden sealing jutsu sealed within them with a chakra-covered seal to keep it in tact from reacting to chakra from another source. Which is why they're considered dangerous and heavily sealed within the Sealed hall in the first place." He clarified simply, giving me some insight on these scrolls.

Immediately I caught on to his proposal earlier.

"And since there's chakra on the scroll, my Sharingan should be able to locate it somewhere here, right?" I hypothesised.

Kabuto smirk stretched wider. "Took you long enough to connect the dots." He mused.

I narrowed my eyes at his smugness. "Go jump off a cliff, already." I hissed in annoyance as I turned away from him.

As Kabuto watched from the background, I activated my bloodline's jutsu, the Sharingan, and started scanned my surroundings. After a minute of finding nothing, I immediately thought this was pointless and a waste of chakra in my part. Then, I found a chakra within the deep pile of large items. I focused my chakra to my eyes to clear out what was in front of me in which I gaped in victory; it was the second scroll sitting on the floor behind a tall pile.

"I guess you found it, didn't you?" I heard Kabuto from behind, feeling him smirking behind me which I couldn't care less of.

"Yeah, it's behind that pile over there." I replied as I pointed towards a pile in front of me.

"And how will you be able to retrieve it?" He questioned in amusement.

I shot him a sharp look. "Simple. I'll climb up this pile and grab it myself." I answered broadly.

A grey eyebrow was raised by my plan. "That won't be easy considering the height of it." He critiqued.

I shrugged as I suggested, "Then hold onto my legs so I won't fall in."

Kabuto looked as if he was slapped in the face so suddenly and blanked out like his mind couldn't register what had happened and how should he react to it. I didn't see a reason why he acted so weird all of a sudden.

"Kabuto?" I called him, snapping him out of his trance. "Can you not look like a ghost?"

Kabuto shook his head then he bowed his head apologetically. I sighed and then I turned my attention towards the tall pile which I used a bit of my chakra to jump on top of it. I carefully rotated and reached my hand downward to Kabuto in which he got the message and took my hand, gripping it tightly. Using my strength and with the help of his chakra control, I was able to pull Kabuto up on top of the pile. He nodded thanks for my help in which I simply dismissed.

"I'll go head and try to get that scroll while you hold onto me so I won't fall in and get stuck in there." I purposed the plan, immediately taking charge.

Kabuto nodded, accepted my request and I went ahead to slowly slide into the tight spacing between the wall and the pile of God knows what. As I carefully went into the hole to reach for the scroll, Kabuto did what he was told and held me from falling in and getting stuck by grasping both my ankles tightly. With this assurance, I continued to stretch the best I could to grab the scroll which felt like it was so close yet so far away from my hand. This increased my frustration and slid down even more to the point where the male who was preventing me from falling in scooted closer towards the small but deep spacing. After what it seemed like years, the scroll was grasped tightly in my hand which I let out a sigh in relief.

"I got the scroll. You can pull me up now." I told him as I waited for a response.

Though he didn't respond, Kabuto did however started yanking me ankles, slowly helping me out of the tight hole. He then went so far to wrap his arms around my waist and pull me even further until I was sitting upright on my knees. I breathed out loudly from refusing to breathe while in the hole; I didn't know what kind of smell the junk carried and I didn't want to be the first one to find out. I studied the second sealing scroll carefully which had the label "forbidden" written on the outside just like the first scroll that Kabuto found. Now that I located both scrolls, my errand was officially over.

Once that thought flew out of my mind, it was then I realized that Kabuto still had his arms around me; I knew he had to pull me out of that space, and I was no longer in it. So why was his arms still around me?

I placed my hand on his forearm and gripped it firmly.

"Sometime this year will be much appreciated." I sarcastically claimed, sounding a bit annoyed and impatient.

Kabuto let out a cocky chuckle. "Just making sure you don't fall back in that predicament, princess." He defended with a sly smirk.

I rolled my eyes as he granted my wish and let me go from his hold. I dismissed the look Kabuto gave me and hopped off of the tall pile as he did the same. I picked up the other scroll Kabuto located earlier and placed both sealing scrolls securely in my pouch. At the same time I was doing so, I walked towards the wall that was closest to the door above me. There was once a ladder there, but due to its poor condition it broke apart just before I stepped foot in the room. So instead, I focused my chakra to the bottoms of my feet and easily walked up the wall, towards the door. Once I was close enough, I held the knob solidly and attempted to force the door open with my strong grip. To my obvious unfortunate, the door wouldn't budge. I tried to open it again harder this time, but the damn door still wouldn't open.

"The door is stuck." I huffed out exasperatedly as I continued attempting to open the door, which I failed every time.

"What do you mean?" Kabuto questioned; he sounded as if he didn't understand what I just said.

The nerd's oblivion forced my patience to decrease until there was none and I showed this by throwing him a cold glare from above.

"What do you mean ' _what do I mean?'_ The door's stuck and I can't open it! How else am I supposed to say it for you to understand?" I snapped irritably as I narrowed my eyes down at him.

"Let me try." He offered presumptuously with his smirk.

With a shrug, I hopped off of the wall as I dismissed the chakra on my feet and I gracefully landed on the ground. Kabuto then went ahead and did the same strategy that I tried and walked up the wall towards the door. I studied him as he used his strength to open the door which didn't help at all. Seeing my difficulty, he carefully made his way down and threw me a grin.

"Seems to me that you weren't kidding." He confirmed.

I furrowed my eyebrows at his calmness that shouldn't be there because we were stuck in the depths of dump and darkness and we couldn't get out.

"Of course, I wasn't kidding, nerd." I grumbled at him, containing my anger.

Dismissing my urge to rip him into pieces, Kabuto shook his head at me and glanced up at the door as he spoke.

"By the looks of it, the hinges are rusted pretty badly to the point where they aren't able to rotate. And the button that opens the door is jammed, which makes it even harder to move the door even just a little bit. And there's possibly other stuff that might contribute to it but I'm not sure yet." He briefly explained the situation to me as his eyes were glued to the door.

Hearing all of this raised an eyebrow on my part.

"How do you know all that, anyway?" I questioned hardly, wanting an answer out of him.

Kabuto sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he gave me a nervous look, which raised my suspicion even more. "Well you see, I was assigned to fix the problem for some time now by Lord Orochimaru and I never really got around doing it." He confessed shyly.

I wasn't too sure if he felt embarrassed about forgetting to fix the door, or he was just being sarcastic just to piss me off. It didn't matter to begin with since I was pissed off anyway.

"You four-eyed idiot! Because of you, we may never get out of here!" I spat angrily at him, which didn't really faze him that much.

"Not necessarily." He corrected with a smirk. "Well, at least until someone from the outside opens the door and lets us out."

Hearing this didn't make me feel any better. If anything it made me feel worse; there was no telling how long it would take until someone freed us from the storage room of hell.

"Do you have any idea how long that will take until that happens? It'll be much easier if we just break our way through the door by force." I hissed in frustration, folding my arms.

Kabuto sighed at my anger. "That won't help the situation at all. The door is built with a strong and durable material that rarely anything can make a scratch on it, so we can't use our jutsu to break it open since it's pointless and we'd be just wasting chakra." He justified briefly and glanced up at the door.

"Plus, even if we were able to somehow destroy it, I doubt Orochimaru would be pleased." He added lowly, earning a scoff from the likes of me.

"Like I give any sort of damn about that." I commented venomously, irritated by the fact that I was stuck in this dark stink whole with the likes of Kabuto.

Out of everyone I had known and everyone in this world I could've been stuck in a dark, claustrophobic place with was Kabuto Yakushi, the one and only bookworm that had been a thorn on my side the second I laid eyes on him.

This was going to be a long day, indeed.

* * *

 **And that wraps up Chapter 10 and also, the first chapter of this situation. Can't wait to post the next chapter because it's going to be good. Or at least, I think it's going to be good.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's Chapter 11!**

 **I don't own Naruto except for my bae, Katsumi Uchiha.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: An Unwanted Situation (Part 2)**

About three hours had passed since being stuck in the storage room with four eyes, who was taking advantage of the situation by sitting against a pile across the room with his hands linked behind his head as it rested comfortably. To be completely honest, I had no clue how long it had been because there was no clock that told time and there weren't any windows or hole that could hint us if it was at least day or night. If anything, it was possible we were stuck here for a whole day.

As Kabuto rested peacefully on the ground, I on the other hand wasn't relaxed at all. I was literally pacing around the small area, waiting impatiently for someone with a blessed soul to free us or waiting for an idea to hit me. Neither was the case so far and I groaned which caught the attention of a certain medic-nin.

"I don't understand why you're so impatient, princess. Nothing bad is going to happen to us, you know." He commented mockingly, grinning with amusement.

I hated to be told to calm down because for the most part, it just made my mood even worse. Especially those who I hated just as much.

I snapped my glare towards the grey haired bastard. "First of all, stop calling me 'princess' because that crap is getting annoying. Second of all, I have every right to be _impatient_ because there's no telling when or if we're getting out of this dump and I hate being in tight, crowded spaces, it makes me feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic. I feel like the oxygen in this room with decreasing as we speak." I ranted in annoyance, receiving nothing but a blink from four eyes.

Kabuto let out a small grin. "Don't worry about that, there's an emergency oxygen supply here just in case. Plus, someone will free us from here eventually, it's just the matter of when." He commented in assurance.

For some reason, hearing this made me calm down a little bit. I don't know why and how, but it just did. However, it didn't erase the fact that I wouldn't even be stuck in here if it weren't for Kabuto ditching me earlier, forcing me to take his place as Orochimaru's subordinate. The thought of this caused a burning feeling in my chest that inflicted anger and distaste. I prevented the huge urge to scream my lungs out to let out the fire within me because I was under so much unnecessary pressure and being stuck in a closed in room didn't help at all.

"This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you." I muttered lividly to myself, wanting to say those words out loud without the person I was referring to hearing.

Unfortunately, I forgot that said person's intelligence and ability to read lips matched mine because I then heard a scoff from the male.

"Yes, because everything I do or say is my fault isn't it?" He sarcastically grunted as he threw a sharp look at me.

I gasped in shock when I realized that he was referring to what I just said out loud to myself. I turned to look at him and the look he gave me made me regret a bit for looking.

"Am I right? That it's my fault simply because of my presence?" He questioned again, this time in a harder tone.

I narrowed my eyes directly at him. "I'm not that unreasonable, you jerk!" I snapped.

I heard a 'tsk' sound from Kabuto's mouth after hearing my comment. "You actually are, you just don't know it until now." He retorted in a low voice.

I gapped at his offensive remark, and immediately started defending myself.

"For your information, you were the one who wasn't available at the time that snake wanted someone to complete this damn errand and I happen to be the unlucky one. And you decided it would be a good idea to come down here and bother me, meaning the door was capable of opening before you went ahead and screwed it up. If you'd just mind your own damn business for once, I wouldn't have wasted my time here with you." I explained in exasperation, clenching my fists as I spoke.

Kabuto's only response to my rambling was furrowed eyebrows and a thinned line made by his lips.

"Even if I was present at the time, you shouldn't expect me to do all of the work myself." He muttered indignantly.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, really? If I remembered correctly, you're Orochimaru's favourite assistant who happily does everything and anything or his beloved 'Lord' and has no goals in life than that damned snake. So yeah, I did expect you to do all of the work because that's your goal isn't it?" I mocked harshly, placing my hands on my hips.

Suddenly, Kabuto swiftly got right in front of my face, forcing me to step back a bit for personal space. The look he was giving me wasn't like any other look he had ever given me and it kind of brought shivers down my spine. He looked though as if he simply lost all respect and patience for me.

"You know, sometimes I wish I could rip those pretty, lustrous lips of yours right off your face so you could shut up for once." He breathed huskily in my ear which made me gasp at his newly-founded tone.

I noted that he said 'pretty, lustrous lips', which made my stomach twist. Then I remembered the time when I voluntarily kissed him without any warning and the moment when he responded to the kiss as passionate as myself. Does that mean he liked the kiss we shared? Because if he was referring my lips as _pretty_ and _lustrous_ , that meant he enjoyed and savoured it. The thought of that made my cheeks heat up a bit.

Kabuto then retreated his head and gave me a long look. It looked like his eyes glistened in a way that he was hurt by my words.

"You talk as if you know everything about everything, which is inconsiderate to begin with. But going as far to talk about me like you know everything about me… you've crossed the line." He seethed as his eyes squinted by his anger.

I didn't know what to say since it was rare seeing Kabuto genuinely furious, so my best bet was to keep quiet.

"You think you're the only one who was traumatized and went through hell which leads you to believe that everyone should care every single damn about you. For the record, princess, you're not the only one here living in misery for the most part." He added half-heartedly as I could tell that he was trying to hold back tears.

This was the very first time I had seen Kabuto this sensitive before, and I knew right off the bat that he wasn't faking it at all. I knew that he went through a harsh time solely because he warned me when we were on that mission. But back then, he was a controlled face as he didn't feel sorrow at the time I overheard him say it. However this time, he looked as if he was struggling to keep his tears intact and if I was correct, he was considering in letting them fall. I hoped that wasn't the case because I couldn't handle a crying Kabuto or at least I thought I couldn't.

I heard him sigh then he quickly returned to the spot he sat earlier. "Forget what I said." He lowly demanded as he sat back down on the ground with his arms rested on his knees in front of him.

I examined his body language very carefully; his head was hanging as he avoided eye contact, his arms were dangling off his knees as if they had no feeling in them, his back was slouched forward and his whole body was resting against the pile of clutter behind him. I made up my conclusion for my examination: Kabuto was mentally reliving his past which was making him feel overwhelmed and distressed especially after telling me off that I shouldn't be talking about him like I knew him. Now it made sense; what he had gone through was just as bad as my experiences, if not it was similar. All of a sudden, a feeling of empathy grew within my chest with that thought in mind.

This drove the feeling within me to know more about Kabuto and get a better insight of his life. And the best way to do that was to comfort him.

So I went ahead with my mental plan and walked over towards Kabuto. I had a gut-feeling that he knew I was moving towards him but still chose to keep his eyes taped to the floor. I sat down right in front of his lifted knees which were the only barrier separating Kabuto and I. I smoothly reached both hands out towards him and carefully removed his glasses from his face. The slight touch of his skin caused him to wince as he shot his gaze right up to me with his eyes slightly wide and glossy. The look he gave me said along the lines of, _'what are you doing?'_ as I gave him a reassuring look.

"It's a hassle cleaning the tears off of the lenses, so for your own good I'll hold on to them. You of all people should know that already." I commented calmly as I gently wiped his glasses with a silk-made cloth and then folded them carefully.

Hearing this made Kabuto's eyes widened in shock, founding this new kind gesture of mine surprising which was kind of an offense in my part.

I threw him a soft glare at him. "Hey, I can be nice if I want to." I defended with a small pout.

A grey eyebrow was raised on behalf of the male medic-nin. I huffed impatiently then regain back the patience I had lost.

"Besides, you look as if you're on the verge of crying because you're reliving the feelings you had in your past. It gets overwhelming and painful to the point where you can't hold it inside anymore, that's why you're tearing up, right?" I summarized the situation softly as I played with his short, grey bangs.

Kabuto winced at my kind physically gesture as his body tensed up when I leaned a bit closer to him. I gave him a look to assure him that my sole purpose at this moment was to help him feel better and give him the comfort he desperately needed, whether he wanted it or not. Instantly reading that my heart was in the right, he gave out a grateful sigh as his head leaned towards where my hand was. My hand went ahead and tangled its fingers in his bangs carefully to prevent any tangles. He rested his eyes as his breathing rate slowed down with his lips slightly parted.

"I know— from experience —that talking about it helps rather than keeping it inside all the time. So whatever the problem is, just know that I'm here to listen and I'll do the best I can to make you feel better." I reassured him softly as I watched him open his eyes and saw within them that I now gained his trust which gave me a good feeling in my chest.

After taking a deep breath in, his first words I distinctly remembered was, "I don't know who I am."

I flinched away from him due to the unexpected confession of his. That was probably the last thing I thought would ever come out of his mouth. Then I instantly gained the idea that he meant it not in a legitimately.

"Meaning, you don't know what kind of person you are? Like, you're unknown to your identity?" I guessed thoroughly as I made a thinking face.

Kabuto nodded slowly then he continued. "When I was just a child, I was accidently caught in the battlefield resulting me having severe head and physical injuries. I was found by a nearby orphanage and a woman who nurtured all of the kids and she healed my injuries. They brought me to the orphanage and they discovered that I had no memories of myself or my past, diagnosing me with long-term memory loss." He explained softly as he looked down at his hands that were resting on his lap.

Hearing just the beginning of Kabuto's life already caught my full attention, especially when he mentioned that he suffered amnesia and doesn't remember anything at all and possibly to this day. But there was one thing that I couldn't shake off from my thoughts.

"Wait, if you forgot everything including yourself, then how did you remember your name?" I asked curiously, hungry for an answer to my question.

"That's because it's not my birth name to begin with; I completely forgot my name too." He answered simply as he finally gathered the courage to look me in the eye, but immediately dropped his gaze a second later. "They gave me the name 'Kabuto' when one of my soon-to-be closest brothers placed a helmet on my head to prevent me from getting hurt ever again."

"That makes a whole lot of sense as to where you got that name." I admitted, nodding in an approving matter.

Kabuto shrugged off my compliment and continued in which he placed a microscopic smile on his face. "There was one time I stayed up past curfew and the staff from the orphanage told me to tell them what time was it on the clock and I couldn't tell because I couldn't see what the clock said. The staff thought that I just had a low IQ but the medical kunoichi that healed me caught on that it was my lack of perfect vision and not my intelligence. She gave me her pair that she wore as a gift and told me to keep it, which made me cry in gratitude." As he continued with his story, I noticed that his voice got shakier almost every time he mentioned that woman who took him in and cared for him.

"Who is the kunoichi you keep mentioning about anyway? What's she like?" I asked him as I made myself comfortable.

"Nonō Yakushi, also known as the Wandering Miko. She was captain of the Medic Corps and a former Anbu that worked for Danzo but instead wanted to run and be head of the Leaf's Orphanage. They, including myself, called her 'mother'." He answered softly as he gazed at the ceiling.

"Yakushi…" I repeated deeply to myself, then something popped out of my head in realization. "Wait, I just realized that you took her last name."

Kabuto grunted a 'yes'.

"She must mean a lot to you. I find it very cute that you looked up to her as your mother, and I bet she taught you everything about medical ninjutsu." I remarked as I went back to playing with his light bangs which he didn't mind me doing.

Kabuto lowered his pupils until they settled on me as he looked blankly at me. "Yes, she did. And the glasses in your hand over there are the same ones she gave me." He pointed out as he cocked his head to where he saw the glasses in my grasp.

I gave him a small smile. "So then what happened?" I then asked, wanting him to continue which he accepted.

"Then one night, Danzo and his two Anbu ninja, one of which was Lord Orochimaru himself, encountered Mother and assigned her to a top-secret mission that he states only she was capable in doing. She originally turned down the mission but Danzo didn't accept her answer and threatened to take down the orphanage. She had no choice but to accept the mission but then Danzo also requested one of the orphans to do this mission too, which she immediately refused for that to happen. He ended up threatening the stability of the orphanage which made her cave in. She deeply cared for the kids and the orphanage and she would do anything to protect it from harm." He told me as his eyes once again caught interest of his hands.

This man named "Danzo" had been mentioned quite a bit, and by the sound of his voice, Kabuto wasn't particularly fond with him. However that wasn't the reason why his name caught my interest. I could've sworn I heard of his name before, a long time ago when I was a child. I remembered Itachi mentioning something about him one time when he told me he was off on another mission and he said his name stressfully, as if he was a thorn on his side. This "Danzo" person was probably the worst if he got on the nerves of Kabuto and Itachi and maybe even others. I would look into it on another time.

"The orphan. Which kid was assigned to that mission?" I questioned interestedly as I rested my folded arms on the man's knees.

Kabuto didn't seem to mind me doing this as he answered my question.

"It was me. I volunteered willingly to do this mission." He answered straight-forwardly as he looked strongly at me.

My lips parted on his answer. "But why? That mission could have killed you!" I exclaimed shockingly, dumbfounded by his stupidity.

"I was aware of that, even as a child. But I felt like I had to, as a ninja… that was something I wanted to be when I was really young." He defended himself as his eyelids rested.

I sighed heavily at his answer but allowed him to continue.

"It was then I left the orphanage to carry out this mission. It was a very long one and I was on it for many years, spying other nations as I gathered private Intel from villages for the Leaf. I played countless identities to cover up my true ambition from other villages, it came to the point where I had been every single person I could think of… except for myself. I lost the sense of knowing who I really was. To this day, I still have no clue who I am and my main goal in life is answering that question: just who am I?" He said softly, his voice getting a bit shaky again.

My hand subconsciously gripped his knee for comfort and then I asked him, "What happened during this mission?"

It was after I asked this question, his shoulder microscopically trembled and I could've sworn I saw his lower lip quivered in pain. Probably something big happened I thought that this was the first time Kabuto expressed his true emotions rather than covering them and lie about it.

"It was when I portrayed myself as a shinobi from the Hidden Stone Village. I was suddenly attacked by another shinobi but I easily brought them down. It was then I realized who that person was when I walked over to the lifeless body…" He mumbled as his bangs curtained his upper face.

"Who was it? Who tried to kill you?" I tightened my grip on his knee, begging him to tell me this person's identity.

When he finally gathered enough valor to give me eye contact, I noticed that there were tears in his eyes, prepared to fall at any moment. However his face looked calm and blank as he looked at me; he was probably trying to stop himself from tearing up and I understood why.

"It was Mother. She was the one who tried to kill me." He answered in a wounded voice as the tears in his eyes continued to grow.

I gasped in surprise and in sorrow for Kabuto. I could only imagine how hurt he felt when his only mother figure tried to kill him with no reason given. There was no point in me imagining it because the same had happened to me with my eldest sibling; he tried to kill me without any remorse whatsoever. The fact that Kabuto and I were sort of alike made me a sense of relief and a new-found respect for the male.

"I'm so sorry that happened. But why would she do something like that… why would she ever wanted to kill you? Weren't you like a son to her?" I played with his bangs for the third time; I couldn't help myself, his hair was so soft and smooth.

Kabuto avoided my question as he added, "Not only that. When I noticed it was her, I immediately went ahead and tried healing her. And when she looked up at me with her semi-lifeless eyes, she had no clue who I was… she didn't know who I was at all…"

My eyes widened when he said this. That was an ultimate slap in the face, and I felt disgusted by it. But despite that, he went ahead to defend his "Mother".

"At first, I thought it was because she didn't have her glasses at the time since they fell off when she hit the ground. I gave her my own pair so that she could see and recognize me better. But even improving her sight didn't help her remember me the slightest bit. I was like a stranger to her…" He pointed out to give me a better insight, which made me feel more disgusted and hurt for him.

I glanced aside, processing the information Kabuto gave me as I tried to put the pieces together.

"That makes sense." I commented out loud, gaining the male's attention. "That's probably why she tried to kill you in the first place; she simply didn't know who you are and thought that you were an enemy or something along those lines."

Kabuto's gaze dropped. "Well, you're half right there." He confirmed as I raised an eyebrow, telling him to be specific.

"I ran away from her body without completely treating her, resulting her to die from her injuries. It was then when I was alone once again, I was encountered by none other than Orochimaru. He brought me to one of his experiment labs near the area we were in and told me the real mission Mother was actually assigned to." He told me as I retracted my hand away from his hair, assuming that it was making him a bit uncomfortable.

"What did Orochimaru tell you?" I asked in curiosity.

Kabuto instantly became silent, refusing to answer my question right away. His breathing became unsteady as he clenched his hands together very tightly. This made me anxious; I wasn't sure what he was going to say since he was acting all nervous and pressure that I hadn't really seen before.

"For some reason, Danzo saw me as a threat because I was very skilled in spying, blending in, and gathering crucial information from others, he thought that I would end up putting the Leaf in danger. So he convinced Mother to assassinate me to prevent that from happening." He finally answered my question, which didn't really make a whole lot of sense to me.

"But, how is that possible? To psychologically convince someone in killing someone they cared about? Plus the fact that she completely had no memory of you."

Kabuto gave me an understanding look to my slight confusion and he spoke.

"According to Lord Orochimaru, Danzo never revealed to Mother that she had to kill me; he just said to kill a traitor of him is all. And to make sure she didn't recognize me, they gave her false pictures of me all grown up so that they brainwashed her into thinking that me in those pictures are me and not the one she tried to kill." He replied dully.

After hearing Kabuto's past, I learned two things from it: I knew that he went through a similar fate like mine, and I discovered possibly when he and the snake first crossed paths.

"But, there's something I still don't understand." I remarked simply as I got the male's attention. "Why join with Orochimaru? What does he have to offer to you?"

Kabuto placed somewhat of an offended look. "Because he said that he'll help me find my purpose in life. He said that he'll watch over me, raise me, and become something that I'm destine to be. He said it himself… he'll help me find my identity… and find my purpose in life…" He amended hardly, daring me to rebut.

I decided to keep my mouth shut for my own good. Especially the fact that he was opening up to me, meaning that he trusted me. I wasn't going to lie, it made me feel good that he thought of my judgement very highly.

"Is that the reason why you're so loyal to him?" I assumed blankly, already knowing the answer.

When Kabuto nodded, the tears he tried so hard to hold back fell along his cheeks as his eyes avoided to look at me.

"I figured… if I were to stay with him, I will finally figure out the person I truly am rather than another fake identity. I want to know my purpose…" He told me as his bangs covered his eyes and his tears continued to fall.

I wasn't sure what to say to that because I was an honest person and I said what it was. However, that sometimes came out as "blunt"; I should be more sensitive to this situation than I normally would've handled it. So I decided to say something that a particular someone told me not too long ago.

"Don't let your past affect you because whatever happens, happens, and everything happens for a reason. Don't dwell on the past because it's not worth your time. Just forget about it and move on…" I quoted the advice the medic-nin gave to me earlier today.

Or yesterday, depending on whatever time it was right now.

Kabuto winced at my words; I knew right there he recognized his words being copied from my mouth. His eyes gave off a rare sparkle in his eyes; I was taught that if someone had a sparkle in their eyes, they were unique and their personal couldn't be replicated. In conclusion, Kabuto himself was special, he just simply doesn't know it yet.

"You're going through an Identity Crisis, a period of uncertainty and/or confusion of your sense of self. This is commonly caused by constantly changing your role in society to the point you have no clue of your true identity." I informed him monotonously in which he listened very carefully to my words.

Kabuto furrowed his eyebrows at my assumption. Not in a critical way, it looked as if he was interested in my perception to his situation.

"And if what you're saying is true… what is your suggestion in fixing it?" He inquired as he folded his arms.

"Here's the thing though, about 'fixing' it: it depends on the person." I pointed out nonchalantly. "With you specifically, you rely on others to find your sense of self due to your long-term memory loss; you believe that they'll help you find yourself if you stick around them for long enough. It's because that you depend on others to find who you really are and your purpose in life, it doesn't end up well for you every time."

I had a gut-feeling that Kabuto wasn't really satisfied with my blunt honesty, but he also knew where I was coming from; I knew how he was feeling and he had no clue how true this fact was.

"You were with your 'Mother' since the first day you two met, and she ended up attempting to murder you. You aligned yourself with _Danzo_ and he ended up betraying you. Now you're with Orochimaru and there's no telling what will happen but I'm pretty sure it's not going to be good." I added supporting details to show him that I wasn't speaking by opinion.

"I understand that, but…"

"It's not the matter of understanding… it's the matter of _doing_ …" I interjected carelessly, shaking my head.

Kabuto slowly lifted his gaze until our pupils connected by sight.

"You don't need others to find yourself, Kabuto. You can find your identity, you can find your purpose… you can find your reason for living if you only rely on yourself." I told him softly as he gave me shocked eyes. "I know it sounds selfish, but believe me, being selfish isn't always a bad thing. You, yourself should always be your first priority no matter what. Set goals so you, _yourself_ will achieve. When you fail, get up on _your own_ and improve your mistakes. Be grateful of what _you_ have already instead of being grateful for what others have. Find something only _you'll_ look forward to because that will give you reason to live every passing day."

The baffled look on Kabuto's face paused ever since I listed all of the possible things that could define him as his identity. I could understand why he was so shocked; something so easy to do but hard to complete.

"And, most importantly…"

Kabuto's face rested, prepared to hear my finally word of advice.

I subconsciously wiped his almost-dried-up tears from his left cheek in which he didn't expect that to happen at all.

"Be honest with yourself and your emotions. If you want to stop being someone you're not, then stop lying to yourself and let the real you come out. There's going to be people who love or hate you, but what they think doesn't mean anything. All that matters is knowing who you are and being happy with your identity." I smiled softly as I gently placed my hand on his temple.

He parted his lips in awe. I then stood up from where I originally sat and settled once again on the floor, right next to the grey haired male as I gave him a long look which he returned a look himself.

"And believe me when I say this… you're not a bad person at all. Far from it actually." I mentioned kindly, making his eyes a bit glossier. "When I'm around you, I feel as though you're being yourself and not a stuck-up, heartless jerk. Yes, you're still annoying as hell and still very sarcastic, but that's a part of your personality and the last thing I want is for you to pretend to be someone you're not around me."

The look we gave each other was both strong and compassionate; his deep, dark-coloured eyes were mesmerizing as he was captivated by my own eyes.

I rested my forehead on his as I kept my gaze looking directly into his eyes. "Find your identity for yourself… and be happy for only yourself and no one else… because you're much more than someone's subordinate…" I breathed.

It was after a period of comfortable silence when Kabuto finally spoke up.

"How do you do it?" He asked quietly to himself but I was still able to overhear what he said.

"Do what?" I repeated curiously, moving my head away.

"How do you always seem to know what to say?" He asked me as he wiped away the remnants of his tears.

I blinked at his question he clarified. "I'm an Uchiha. We're always supposed to know what to say; it's a necessary trait." I answered, my tone and look signaling that the answer wasn't complicated.

Kabuto disagreed by shaking his head. "No, I feel like it's much more than that, princess…"

"Why the hell do you call me princess, anyway? It's annoying and I don't see the point in calling me that…" I frowned in irritation.

Kabuto let out a soft chuckle then said something that literally made my heart stop.

"The point in calling you that… you're simply beautiful as one…" He breathed soothingly, giving me a glossy look.

My cheeks immediately turned pink at the boy's compliment; it was one of the nicest comments someone had ever given me. I was speechless because it came from Kabuto's mouth; the same person who I picked on for a very long time. The fact that he literally called me beautiful caused a warm, fuzzy sensation building within my chest; it was such a good feeling I couldn't describe it.

"I-I…" I stammered blankly. "I actually don't know what to say…" I admitted shyly.

Out of the blue, a pair of strong, soft lips pressed hardly against mine, causing me to gasp from the unexpected act. The lustrous lips moved against mine as my mind tried to process exactly what was going on: four eyes' lips were on mine, desperately waiting for me to respond. As my mind cleared up, I eyed the person responsible for taking captive of my lips which was none other than Kabuto himself, like I figured. His lips then moved away from mine and gazed deeply into my eyes as I did the same. I knew my cheeks were still pink and my heart was pounding way too loudly that the medic-nin himself could hear. Said person placed his forehead on mine once again as his hot breath heating my own lips, raising the temptation of wanting his lips on mine again.

"I don't expect you to say anything…" He whispered huskily as my adrenaline sky-rocketed. "I rather not have you speak at all…"

The next thing I knew, Kabuto cupped my face with both hands and forced my lips to press his hardly. I gasped at this sudden movement again, but I immediately recuperated my senses and responded to his lips my moving my mouth passionately against his just as he did to me.

He lovingly licked my lower lip, asking for access in which I gratefully granted his wish; his tongue rummaged within my mouth, tasting every bit of my oral cavity. I let out a wanting moan as his tongue massaged mine, feeling his tongue against mine while enjoying the taste behind his lips. I slid my arms around his neck as I desperately deepened the kiss and he knew of this as he too deepened. I heard his soft moan when his hand stroked my exposed thigh; his hand was addicted to my creamy, lightly-tanned skin as it continued to caress. The hand on my upper limb stroked upward to my side and behind my back as the other hand did the same, resulting in two arms firmly around my waist as they pulled me closer to its host.

I gasped during the kiss the second I felt my body being picked up off the ground and once I was settled, I knew right away I was now sitting on Kabuto's upper laps as he continued to kiss me fervently. His hands roamed all over my slim figure as one of my hands cupped his cheek and the other stroked every muscle lining he had. When his hands sneaked underneath my top, feeling and fondling my abdomen and back, it sent shivers to the very core of me; his skin touching mine was so piercing… yet so enticing.

I never wanted it to stop: his body pressed against mine, his hands roaming on my skin, his mouth tasting my mouth, the sounds of desperate moaning and the need to express our physical attraction.

I was attracted to Kabuto, and I knew full well he was attracted to me. But what was the real meaning behind it anyway?

The shivers of desperation increased when Kabuto finally moved away from my lips and moved down to my chin, kissing and sucking it, making me moan even more. He left a trail of kisses from my chin, down to my neck, causing my breathing to stagger in anxiety and excitement. I pulled my head back to give him access to my whole neck and he immediately took advantage of the offer as he kissed and nibbled on my sensitive skin. I let out a soft gasp as the excitement within me kept building up at a rapid speed by the feeling of his lips on my skin; the craving for more of this was double the craving of his lips on mine. It was too good to be true. I untied his hair, letting it fall gracefully on his shoulders and my hand immediately tangled itself in his light-shaded hair. As I did so, Kabuto went from kissing hungrily on my neck to kissing seductively on my collarbone. I finally gathered the courage to allow a soft cry of thrill to escape my mouth while I leaned against the male closer until my chin rested on his shoulder, gripping his hair tighter as he continued to kiss my neck and collarbone.

My mind started to get frantic with the desperation of tasting the boy's lips again, so I used my grip on his hair and forcibly pulled him away from my neck. He growled in pain with gritted teeth but the second I captured his lips once again with my own, he forgot about the fact that I literally tugged on his hair. The second time our lips made contact, the sync was faster and hungrier than the first; I could literally hear the sound of our mouths parted and reattached repeatedly. Kabuto didn't bother to wait for my permission to taste the inside of my mouth since his tongue swiftly slid inside my mouth and explored every inch of it. At one point, I followed suit and slid my tongue into his mouth and explored just as he did. Overall, this experience was really hot.

With lack of time tracking, neither of us had any clue what time it was and how long we had been doing this for.

That thought crossed my mind when we finally pulled away from the kiss for need of air. I was shocked of how out of breath I was; I never expected it to be this intense when I imagined it. I eyed at Kabuto who slouched against a pile panting as if he had used up most of his chakra right off the bat while I myself panted from lack of air too.

The kiss was intense to say the very least; it was everything above that. The way our movements symbolized how desperate we were to feel each other was over bounding, and how we thought of that the same way. It was as if one person does one thing, the other would respond to it guaranteed. Not to mention how hungry our lips were and the need to feel one's mouth, it felt unruly for the most part and my gut was telling me that the medic-nin in front of me felt the same way. He was questioning about what happened, if it meant something, how our attraction was canny, how there was no formula to explain our chemistry, and many more thoughts that I could write a book about.

Despite this, what really boggled my mind was how seductive his hands were as they ran all over my body and how he desperately wanted to touch me without me clothed. For crying out loud, he almost removed my shirt when he felt my lower torso under my top. I couldn't blame him for being a pervert because in all honesty, I would've removed his shirt and feel every toned muscle his body had to offer. But the thought of him possibly _willing_ to go ahead and take it to the next level right here was something I couldn't shake off. I could understand that he finally trusted me and might even be attracted to me, but to go so far where my virginity and probably his was on the line?

Had I given him false hopes? Was there something more he felt than just attraction?

That could lead to more questions than answers, and for me personally, I felt like I should get the record straight with him or else he would end up being a lost puppy in ninja society because of his "special someone". I wouldn't really classify myself as that really, but for Kabuto… there was a possibility. For once, the boy's thoughts of me relating to this stuff made me feel good and accomplished even.

The fact that I was still sitting on the grey haired male didn't cross my mind until I snapped myself out of my thoughts and said person I just kissed being the first thing I laid eyes on. The look in his eyes were kind of foggy to me because I saw a mixture of compassion, empathy, enticement, desperation… it was literally the tip of the feelings iceberg. I responded to his gaze with a simple but kind look as I cocked my head to the side. With that, I lifted myself off of the boy's laps and sat right next to him once again without any words being said from neither of us. The moment I made myself comfortable on the ground, I noticed that his hair was free of its ponytail. I slightly flushed on that fact; it was me who pulled the hair tie and _pulled_ his hair on top of it.

As a kind gesture, I picked up his hair tie off the ground and reached out to tie his hair back into its usual style as I scooted behind him. Despite not being aware of this, Kabuto allowed me to continue what I was doing: sliding behind him and tying his hair back. Once I adjusted his newly-tied hair, I let my hands to fall on the male's shoulders as I leaned a part of my weight on him. He didn't seem to mind; he exhaled air as he laid his head back towards me, partially resting on my shoulder. When he did this, I saw his naturally tanned neck of his own fully exposed to me, making my mouth water from within. I wanted to resist the temptation of tasting his hydrated skin since what happened earlier was already stressing enough, but it was literally telling me to go for it.

Apparently my will was weak at the moment because I did what my hormones wanted and not my logic. I bent my head over his shoulder and wasted no time in lovingly moving my lips against his skin, kissing and licking it like it was my favourite Popsicle flavour I craved for a long time. There were moans coming from Kabuto's lips indicated that he loved what I was doing and begged to continue by gripping tightly on my leg. I continued to slowly but deeply kiss his sensitive skin below his chin as the owner of the neck my lips were on breathed inconsistently through his tightly gritted teeth. At one point, I heard the grey haired medic-nin whimper in pleasure and excitement, wanting more and more of it.

Once again, my senses kicked in and warned me that this was going too far and if not, it would soon. And though tempting, I wasn't ready nor I wanted to go there… especially so soon. But just before I removed my mouth from his skin, Kabuto swiftly spun around, grabbed my neck and crashed his lips on mine. I groaned in pain from that hasty act but in satisfaction with his lips hungrily devouring mine. He went ahead to nibble on my lower lip which caused me to whimper in pain… pain that was more pleasurable than harmful.

After a moment of kissing and nibbling each other's lips, my hormonal excitement finally stabilized and I pulled my lips away from his, earning a whining hum from the male as he panted. I gave him an apologetic look while I too was panting from lack of air. I don't know why I felt bad for pulling away when he didn't want to since it should only go forth if the couple was ready; however Kabuto was ready, I wasn't.

Just the thought of having sex, throwing my virginity away, and giving up all of my physical assets to Kabuto or anyone for that matter, was too scary and hard to think about.

I huffed out my frustration then I moved away from his personal space and seated myself with my knees just below my chin. I puffed out air the second time as my hands were placed near both sides on the floor while I leaned against the pile behind us. My mind was racing with thoughts and feelings about almost everything, my heart was palpitating out of stress, and I could feel my body temperature increase at an outstanding rate.

Why the hell was this happening to me of all people?

I was on the verge of hyperventilating, until I sensed a cool, refreshing wave of chakra being poured into my body. This surprised me because it was definitely not my chakra, so where was this chakra coming from? I then realized that a hand was taped on my forehead and that it was responsible of injecting chakra into me. I glanced aside and saw that it was Kabuto who was giving me this cool chakra. I raised an eyebrow at this act of generosity.

Kabuto, like always, sensed what I was thinking and called off his healing chakra as he retracted his hand from my forehead.

"You're body temperature was dangerously rising. I figured you'd realize and simply focus your chakra to tend it, but I can see you mind is on other things." He stated simply, giving me a soft look.

I avoided looking into his eyes any longer than necessary and kept them staring at my knees. I knew for a fact he was feeling just as awkward and stressed about the situation just as I was, but he was being the one who wasn't making it a big deal. I respected that, but I didn't expected it.

What was also unexpected was that Kabuto gently placed his hand on top of mine. I winced at his touch and snapped my gaze towards him only to see him giving me a comforting, pure look from those dark orbs of his.

"I'm open anytime if you want to converse about this. But just know…" He soothed as his thumb slowly rubbed my hand. "… I didn't do _that_ just for mere pleasure…"

My eyes twitched wide for a second, stunned to hear his confession behind wanting to kiss me. What was more shocking was the fact that he admitted that he didn't kiss me for pleasure or simply because he was being horny; there was something more he felt than just wanting to make out.

It was just as I feared: Kabuto was starting to carry feelings for me. To make matters worse, I gave him false hopes by doing stuff like I just did. I knew I would be damned if he started falling for me and I would be sent straight to hell if I started falling for him. This was forbidden for so many reasons and it was simply a curse to fall for someone who was supposed to be my _enemy_. Kabuto Yakushi, the person who cared for no one, lied and cheated his way to success, pushed others buttons for his entertainment, respected one of the most wanted rogue ninja in the land, and who was basically a sociopathic narcissist… was my enemy and I was his, yet we were attracted to each other.

This was a dangerous matter that must be stopped. I shouldn't have anymore any physical attraction with him until my allegiance with Orochimaru finally ended. Until then, I must stay away from Kabuto at all cost; I have to stop myself from having feelings for him or before it was too late.

But a part of me was saying that I shouldn't avoid him at all; I would him hurt if I do. Kabuto had already been through situations where people important to him use him then toss him aside for person gains or out of orders. I knew for sure Orochimaru doesn't care about Kabuto in that sense and I was certain he wouldn't mind if something bad happened to him, despite thinking highly of him. That left only me, the one person who actually was _concerned_ and I guessed _cared_ for him. I could understand where he was coming from, but if he started falling for me, everything I told him was pointless. He should be happy on his own and not with others, but now he had set his eyes on me.

As much as my fondness for him grew a lot over time, I shouldn't let my feelings get involved with him regardless his feelings for me. It pained me to think such a thing, but it was only for our benefit.

With that in thought, I returned his physical gesture by rotating my hand while he still gripped onto mine and gently wrapping my fingers around his hand. As we held hands, we gave each other a long, comforting look; Kabuto gazed at me with pureness and tenderness whereas I gazed at him with sadness, guilt, and empathy.

* * *

 **That concludes Chapter 11! Let me know what you think about it guys, okay? I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12

**If I have one wish, I wish to own Naruto. In the meantime, I don't own it. Anyway, I think this is the end of "An Unwanted Situation".**

 **Chapter 12: An Unwanted Situation (Part 3)**

* * *

 **Kabuto's POV:**

Love.

I always asked myself the meaning of it mainly because there was more than one definition of that strong, but overused word. It could be defined as something was just utterly amazing, used in a way that something was touching, or it was simply used to say make an opinion on a person's favourite thing.

Then there was the original meaning behind this word. Love: an intense feeling of deep affection and strong attachment to someone. That definition. That word. The same word I always wondered if I would ever feel in my life because of resentment from others. I thought no one would ever look at me in a different light; I thought no one would ever consider in getting to know be better. I don't blame them since I don't expect people to do so.

Then there was Katsumi Uchiha; the princess of the main Uchiha household. There was no denying her grace, elegance, beauty, intelligence, kindness, and genuine personality mainly because she was blessed to be born in an exceptional clan like the Uchiha. But her thoughts and outlook differ from all members of her clan. She saw no interest of gaining power, wealth, and fame or anything along those lines; she was solely the opposite. She loved her close friends, held great respect for her mentors, shared an undeniably close bond with her older brother, and she loved the village she was born and raised in. She was the kind of person who was always grateful of what she had. She was also the kind of person who doesn't ponder about her tragic experiences in the past and despite her grudge against Itachi Uchiha, she still decided to move on and forget about getting her revenge. Though her whole family killed and no longer with her, she still kept her head up and used what she experienced to become even stronger.

I guess that was probably why the girl caught my interest. She was like the opposite of me: she doesn't like taking orders from those who she doesn't respect or to help them achieve their schemes, she was very independent and was okay being alone or with others, she said whatever she thought that needed to be said and moved on, she didn't let others get into her head, and she wasn't afraid to be herself. She was someone I desired to be but couldn't because of lack of identity. But she made it seem like it was so easy to find an identity whereas I had been struggling for most of my life. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be close with her.

Even if I were to decline, I was unable to stay away from her.

I slowly opened my eyes and examined my surroundings as my vision was adjusting itself. Though I currently didn't have my glasses on, I was still able to picture where I was: still in the storage room. I glanced down only for my eyes to be looking directly behind the girl's head. After a moment of my lips devouring its favorite taste of flavor, our bodies started to shut down which meant that they were coming near to the sleeping stage. Now that I had woken up, the curiosity of the amount of time we spent in the dark, moist underground basement really crossed my mind. I'd thought by now that someone would free us from here, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. In fact far from it; I was aware Lord Orochimaru was unavailable due to experiments so he wouldn't lift a finger to free us and Sasuke was still on that mission Orochimaru assigned last week.

By the looks of it, we would be stuck here a little longer than hoped.

I turned my attention towards a certain girl who sat between my legs as comfortably rested her back against my torso along with her head seated on my right shoulder. Her chest rose and fell by her breathing, showing off her perky but perfectly round breasts she had. I moved my eyes towards her abdomen; the feelings of that firm, slim, flat, muscle of hers was one of my favorite areas I laid my hands on. Speaking of which, her skin was also a favorite of mine; how soft, silky and smooth it was, it was merely mind-blowing. Her slender legs were just an awe to me; I was literally aroused by only the touch of her legs. Overall, that eventful experience I went through was something I would carry with me for a long time.

I knew she was flabbergasted that I went ahead and forcibly kissed her. What was more astonishing was the fact that I don't know _why_ I did that in the first place. Literally my mind wasn't thinking straight when I made the first move and when I finally came to the realization of my sudden actions, Katsumi accepted the situation and she responded. That was relieving because I didn't know if I could live on with my life because of how awkward that situation would've been. But luckily that did happen and I was more than satisfied.

But the reason behind my actions… that varied when I thought about it. Despite her grudge against me, she willingly put aside her feelings and actually listened to how I genuinely felt which was both solacing and scary. I had never _ever_ told anyone about my past and my emotions because Orochimaru threatened to punish me of spilling the truth and also no seemed to care about me at all. Not that it bothered me, but there were times when I just wanted just one person who was willing to understand and comfort me in the time of need and that person was Katsumi herself. She listened to every bit of detail coming from my mouth and she even placed some humor to make me feel better. She even did the unnecessary things like holding my glasses, physically petting me, and giving me advice based on her experiences and perspective.

The fact that she really wanted to know the issue out of empathy and compassion made me feel safe and good inside.

Or maybe it was because I was attracted to her as a whole and I simply wanted her to myself. Maybe her addictive lips were dusted with a drug that was very magnetic with mine. Or was it because she was simply too beautiful for her own good that I wanted her in my arms. It was probably because I was a typical male who just wanted to experience that part of life. Damn, I was like any other man.

There were so many variables to this reason of kissing her, but thing was for sure thought: I was wrapped around her finger. She had me attached to her puppet strings, ready to use me anytime she pleased. She had me placed on the palm of her hands, plotting her next scheme. I wasn't implying she was the type to do such things, but I was pointing out that whether she would use me for her own pleasure or something else, I would have to follow my master.

It was final, her addictive and attractive presence was taking over me which was both dangerous and exciting.

I snapped myself into reality when I heard said person's yawn softly as she fluttered her eyes open. As her vision adjusted to her surroundings, she adjusted her position between my legs as she slightly glanced aside towards my head in which I responded by glancing at her myself. The look she had in her eyes were so pure and clear, as if she was studying the look within my own eyes; her eyes without her visual prowess were so deep and had an onyx sparkle in them. She then blinked a couple of times and yawned once again but covering her mouth this time to prevent her morning breath come in contact with me. I wouldn't mind really; he didn't have to be so formal around me since I wasn't formal around her most of the time.

"No wonder I slept so well, you were my sleeping cushion." She spoke a matter-of-factly tone in a groggy voice.

I let out a soft chuckle. "If you're curious to know, you looked exhausted and you seemed uncomfortable so I placed here for better comfort." I justified as my lips slightly brushing her cheek as I spoke.

I studied her facial expression hardly and I noticed a microscopic smile on her lustrous lips. Oh, how much I wanted to kiss those tasty, plump lips of hers.

"You know you didn't have to." She pointed out softly, sounding a bit negative about it.

I shook my head and removed a strand of her bangs away from her face.

"You saw my distress and sorrow, you wanted to hear my situation to help me, you listened to everything I had to say, you made several attempts to make me feel better, and you gave me advice that you used yourself. You literally did anything in your ability to help me out… and for that I owe you…" I told her in assurance as I placed my hand on her stomach.

Katsumi didn't seem to mind as she breathed heavily.

"You own me nothing, Kabuto…" She pointed out nonchalantly. "I know behind that fake façade of yours, you're just a lost puppy in society who has no clue of who they are, where they come from, what purpose they carried and desperately waiting for someone to help find themselves. I simply didn't want you to lose to harsh reality."

Hearing her humbleness made me attracted to her even more. Her words were so soothing and down-to-earth that my ears were eagerly feeding off her voice. Every angle of her was downright amazing.

"I didn't want you to end up walking on the same path as Sasuke." She added dejectedly, sounding disappointed in herself. "He too didn't know what purpose he served after Itachi murdered our whole clan. I thought he would accept the situation and use it to make himself stronger like how I did, but instead he decided to get his revenge on him in which he called himself an 'avenger'."

I puffed air through my nose as I rested my cheek on the side of her head as she continued to speak.

Her voice got shakier as she said, "I always thought that it's my fault that my brother is stuck in this mindset. I continue to feel the guilt of not being there for him when he needed me the most. If I'd just known what's really going on with him, then maybe…" She paused to hold back possible tears from coming.

I don't know why, but I could feel the exact guilt she felt. Not out of empathy but out of sympathy. Was I that attracted to her to the point where I felt what she felt? Dear god, I was in emotional danger.

On a serious note, seeing Katsumi down on herself really bothered me in a bad way. She was always confident and always put on a brave face in bad circumstances, and now that this was possibly the first time I saw for taking the blame of something she had nothing to do of. It made me have a pit in my stomach just thinking about it. I subconsciously used the hand on her abdomen and caressed her in consolation which she responded by resting her own hand on my lap as she gripped on my pants.

"You shouldn't feel bad for your brother's behaviour and actions, they have nothing to do with you. You did what you had to do, but Sasuke is simply too far to reach, even for you. He doesn't deserve your concern…" I commented bluntly.

Though it might sound a bit inconsiderate, what I just said was the truth. She shouldn't have to stress herself over her brother when her brother wouldn't even look at her concern for him.

"When you have an older sibling, you'll understand…" She commented lowly as I received the feeling of her smirking.

I giggled at her comment and mused, "There's a possibility that I do… but due to my memory loss, I'll never know…"

Katsumi scoffed. "Never say never. You should know that since you're such a bookworm."

I placed an offended look on my face. "Are you implying that it's a bad thing?" I playfully accused as I nuzzled her silky dark hair.

Katsumi shook her head. "Not at all. I'm actually one myself, believe it or not." She replied a matter-of-factly as her fingers playfully tapped on my thigh.

I was stunned by her answer. Katsumi Uchiha… a bookworm? Yet she had made fun of me for being one for a long time? This girl… was something else indeed.

"I believe not." I commented hardly, raising an eyebrow. "You're actually the last person I would ever think is even close to a bookworm."

Katsumi simply shrugged at my critique. "Think what you want, it's true. Reading is one of my favourite hobbies; I literally spend most of my days reading anything I can get my hands on." She justified nonchalantly.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I knew we shared some similarities, but being this compatible with her with something I desired? We both loved reading anything factual or the opposite, and we spent a lot of time just opening up a book and scanning the words written in them. My mind system was still trying to process this new detail that doesn't seem to get through cleanly.

I rested my head on hers as I sighed with a smile. "It's not that I doubt your statement. I'm just shocked of how someone like you is interested in books to begin with…"

"What do you mean?" She questioned suspiciously as she turned her gaze over to me, giving me a hard look; I heard the displeased tone in her voice.

I blindly gave her a soft kiss on her cheek, resulting her breathing to stagger. I moved my lips away from her skin and smirked at her as she frowned at my sudden act.

"Let's just say… you're look too good to be a bookworm, unlike me." I clarified slyly.

My left hand went ahead to move its way towards Katsumi's hand that was resting on my upper leg. My larger hand folded with her hand as my fingers entwined with hers. To my surprise, she accepted this act by gripping my hand tightly in a wanting matter as I did the same to her. Her hand in my grasp really made me feel really good and calm while my fingers adjusted themselves in between her own fingers. Once our hands were locked comfortably, she let out a sigh through her nose.

"You're not that bad, to be honest…" She implied briefly.

I blinked incredulously at her words. "Well, that was very humble of you to say." I stated smugly.

Katsumi shrugged her shoulders once again. "I'm just being honest. You're not as repulsive as you think you are." She specified softly as I watched her gazed deeply at our entwined hands.

I had never been so flattered by a person before. The fact that Katsumi of all people said I wasn't repulsive made me feel both relieved and shocked. However, I— for some reason —trusted her judgement a lot so her compliment was definitely true to her.

"Don't care if people think otherwise…" She added gently, tightening her grip on my hand.

I cuddled her from behind as my lips were slightly touching the shell of her ear.

"Thank you…" I breathed delightedly, tightening my own grip on her hand.

We sat there for a while in silence. It wasn't awkward but was more comforting. I was zoning out of reality until I heard a familiar voice referring a question to me.

"Kabuto…"

"Hm?" I hummed blankly, not really there at that moment.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I noticed Katsumi pausing her speech. I nudged her to continue what she felt that needed to be said.

"Why… why did you kiss me?" She asked shakenly with a quiet voice. "Why did you kiss me like that?"

I remained quiet after hearing her question. Why did I kiss her? And in that way? I wasn't certain myself. Curiosity maybe? But what was there to be curious about? It definitely wasn't because I simply _wanted_ it in that sense; that was far from me to say the least. Then why did I kiss her? And how should I answer her question?

I inhaled the stuffy air as I rested my eyes. "If I knew the answer myself, you would be the first person to know." I told her simply.

Katsumi rotated her head on my shoulder until she was eyeing at me, giving me a look that told me to be specific.

"Honestly, I don't know why I kissed you. I wish I did…" I confessed disappointedly.

I could tell she was disappointedly to because she wanted to know the answer as much as I do.

"All I can tell you is… that I _wanted_ to kiss you. I've been trying to avoid my temptation, but it was too much for me. I _had_ to kiss you…" I admitted hesitantly as I bit my lower lip.

I used the hand that laid on her abdomen and slowly sneaked it under her shirt, caressing slim figured torso

"I see…" That was all she said, which made me even more curious.

Speaking of which, I had a similar question I wanted the answer to for a while now, and since we were talking about this particular topic, I decided it was the perfect time.

"Speaking of which, why did you kiss _me_ during our mission?" I blurted the question subconsciously.

I didn't realize the context of my question until it was already out. I gritted my teeth for my stupidity; damn, because of her, I couldn't even think straight. Katsumi was a rare type that messed up my way of thinking and disorganized my priorities, which was unhealthy for me. Normally, I would erase her from my mind as if she'd never existed, but I became so attached to her, I couldn't care less if I still had my priorities.

I still waited patiently and anxiously for her answer as said person placed her free hand on my knee which was positioned near her side.

"I guess the same reason as yours…" She simply replied with a shrug, dropping her head on my shoulder.

It was as if we were born with duplicated minds and personalities. The fact that we both wanted to enlightened each other with our physical attraction, it showed that we both had feelings for each other. But what on earth was holding us back from moving forward? I knew I barely had any worries except for Lord Orochimaru, but I doubted he would punish Katsumi or myself for something that wasn't getting in the way of his goals; as long as that was the case, he'd possibly be okay with us. However for Katsumi and likely myself, the main thing that stood in our way was that damned Sasuke Uchiha. Personally, I disliked him mainly because he was controlling his little sister like his own puppet just to get what he wanted. I knew that I had no right to mind my business in their personal bond, but ever since I had grown to like the girl, I offhandedly had the urge to defend her despite her being able to take care of herself. For an older brother, he wasn't doing a good job with that position.

Then again, it was an understatement since the only importance I saw behind his actions was the fact that this was all controlled by Lord Orochimaru. With all respect given to my Lord, it just didn't sit to well with me that if it weren't for him wanting Sasuke in the first place, Sasuke could've been more bearable to handle for Katsumi. However that was in the past and there was nothing I could do to change that. And secretly, sometimes I felt like it was partially my fault that this was happening but of course it was just me being overdramatic just to sound humble for Katsumi.

' _The things I do for the girl…'_ I sometimes questioned myself.

"Do you think… this means something… between you and I?" She then asked shyly as the hand that held my knee tightened its grip.

Like I said before, if I knew the answer, I would tell her. I accepted the fact that I was attracted to her and possibly had feelings for her that weren't accepted just yet, but I wasn't too sure about Katsumi. She was attracted to me, which was all I knew. Feelings? That all depended on her. But now, she was asking if our attraction meant something real. I hoped it did because the ravenette was the first person who genuinely cared for me at the time of need and who understood my feelings. Plus, she went through a similar fate, she claimed. Regardless, I wished she could see it and admit that she felt the same way as I do.

She doesn't realize that she made my life a little happier than it ever was.

I huffed the stress out of my system.

"It all depends on what we think. And if yes… should we move forward to the next step… or stop it before it gets too far…?" I inquired, laying out the options in front of us.

Katsumi turned to face me once again, giving me a gentle but firm look. What was she thinking in that head of hers?

"What do you think?" She asked me curiously as I gazed deeply into her eyes.

It was then I noticed that my lips were barely half an inch away from the girl's, I could no longer hold back my hunger for her any longer. I leaned in and gave her a soft but passionate kiss on her lips. Though she didn't expected it, she still went ahead and responded my moving her lips in the same rhythm as mine were. I pulled back but my lips were hovering slightly above hers as the look in my eyes showed as much passion as my lips did. She seemed to forget the question she asked when she turned away and placed most of her weight on me.

"Katsumi…"

Said person heard her name being called by me, and she hummed in response, letting me know that I had her attention. I was trying to get the words out to get them out of the way. I wanted to tell her this since she treated me with such care when I was on the verge of breaking down. The anxiety building up within my chest was overwhelming, I felt like my heart was stuck in my throat as it palpitated rapidly. My lips were trying to make out words, but the anxiety of blurting out the wrong thing was too much, I simply just bit my lower lip.

' _Damn, why couldn't I just say it…?'_ I thought angrily to myself, growling lowly to myself.

To my unfortunate, Katsumi noticed me torn from within and she rotated her upper body to face me as she cupped my cheek. With this grip, she forced me to look at her face-to-face so that she could get out what I was trying to say. Good luck on that because I too was trying to figure out myself.

"Just spill it, Kabuto…" She encouraged hardly, looking at me firmly.

With this, now I knew there was no turning back; I had to tell her despite the huge difficulty. With that thought, I inhaled the courage and exhaled the stress and gaze into her eyes.

"Well… the truth is… I-I…"

If it weren't for my harsh stuttering, I would've felt the huge disappointment in my whole life. Luckily, I saved by the sounds of banging above our heads which made both of us flinch in shock. Katsumi turned her attention to the noise as I felt my cheeks turning pink, hoping that she didn't notice this. Speaking of which, I too was curious about the loud banging from the ceiling. Were we under attack? No, that was very unlikely since Orochimaru would've already been aware of this and killed them off. The only possibility I could think of off the top of my head was that someone was trying to break through the ceiling— or floor from their position —which would eventually lead to this room.

It was about time. Someone was finally here to free us. Though I was relieved that we didn't have to stay in this tight space any longer, I enjoyed Katsumi's company throughout this predicament very much. From kissing her and holding her in my arms to just having a decent conversation… it was something I would cherish for a very long time. I hoped that she felt the same way since she wasn't repulsive at all with my actions and the fact that I embraced her lovingly; it was possibly she was feeling something about me too. I hoped for that. I wouldn't mind at all if I was locked in a room with her again; that meant I could get the chance to kiss her again and maybe make her fall for me. I smirked at that thought as I watch the basement door on the ceiling beginning to crack from the blows it was receiving.

' _That was the one thing I want… for her to feel the same way as I do…'_ I thought to myself wishfully, hoping that moment would come sooner rather than later.

 **Katsumi's POV:**

I was surprised that someone finally realized that there were two of Orochimaru's main subordinates were missing, and however the genius was that got that thought in their head, they were my hero. That or it was possibly that it was Orochimaru who realized this fact and ordered one of his henchmen to find them. Either way, we were getting out of the lair dump or whatever the hell this place was.

I used my sensory ninjutsu to determine exactly who our saviour was, until I gasped in horror when I immediately identified who was standing above us by one floor.

' _No, it's him…!'_ I thought in horror as my body shook.

Since I was sitting against Kabuto, it was no surprise that he caught onto my panic attack as he leaned over my shoulder to get a good look at my facial expression.

"Katsumi, what's wrong?" He asked concernedly, grooming my hair in comfort.

I didn't say a word until we both jumped by the sound of the door finally giving in and broke into pieces as said pieces fell on the floor in front of us. I glanced up and saw a newly-made hole on the ceiling. I squinted my eyes harder and saw a very slim shadow that covering a fraction of the light shining through the hole. The second the shadow moved, I heard the sound of high-pitched chirps as another bright-coloured light ignited which made me even more anxious because that alone confirmed the identity of the person I feared at the moment. Then the shadowy figure walked towards the hole, possibly preparing to jump in and investigate what was inside.

"S**t…!" I exclaimed in horror as I jumped, causing Kabuto to wince in confusion.

Without thinking I pounced from Kabuto's embrace, using him as a jump board, and semi-settled myself next to him as I earned a painful cry from the boy as I did so.

I probably should've given him some warning, but it couldn't be helped now. _'My bad, Kabuto…'_

The moment the dark figure jumped into the hole and landed skillfully in front of us, I finished dusting myself off. Kabuto and I eyed at the figure who basically saved our lives. Their lightning style jutsu was dismissed when the figure realized that there was no danger upon him and the two held captive. I placed a small smile on my face as Kabuto had a wary look on his face, knowing exactly who this person standing in front of us was.

"Look what the cat dragged in…" I heard Kabuto mused smugly, placing his obnoxious smirk on his face.

To be honest, when he wasn't directly giving me his smirk, it looked kind of attractive; it simply suited that face of his.

The mysterious character slid its feet towards the light where his identity was now clear for the both of us. Said person gave a familiar 'hmph' at the medic-nin's comment.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here? How did you know we were here?" I asked curiously at my older brother.

Sasuke shifted his dark pupils towards me and gave me a soft look that only I could see through his monotone, stoic gaze.

"I just arrived from my mission and I was checking up on you before I gave my mission report to Orochimaru. When you weren't in your room nor the medical labs, I knew something was off. I also noticed that Kabuto was nowhere to be found either, which hinted me that he was with you." He briefly answered, laying all of his attention towards me and none on the male next to me.

I smirked at Sasuke as his height towered over me. "Let me guess, you used your Sharingan to locate our chakra and found that we were here." I summarized slyly.

With a microscopic smirk, the raven nodded.

Sasuke then asked, "Why are _you_ here in the first place?"

"Orochimaru ordered me to find sealing scrolls in this room…" I answered.

Sasuke then turned his attention towards Kabuto who just looked at the raven with a dull look in which he returned with a glare.

"Then why is _he_ here?" He inquired coldly, referring to the grey haired male next to me.

"I'm not sure myself. I remembered him saying he wanted to keep me company or something like…" I replied unsurely, side-glancing at him.

Sasuke made a 'tsk' sound at this reason and turned his attention to Kabuto, who held a hard glare himself. The sudden animosity between the two males made me all the more uncomfortable; anything could happen at this point.

Not getting the bigger picture, Kabuto smirked at my brother's glare. "Calm down, Uchiha. I didn't do anything to hurt nor provoked your precious sister. I have no interest in that sort, I can assure you…" He defended cockily, taking his attitude for granted.

Sasuke subconsciously activated his Sharingan as he continued to throw him the death stare.

"You make sure of that… because that could determine whether you live or die…" He threatened venomously, gripping the handle of his sword.

I decided that it was time for me to step in before things got uglier than the stuff in the dirty basement. I cleared my throat loud enough for both Kabuto and Sasuke to hear what I had to say. I was able to look at my brother with a straight face regardless of his piercing, crimson glare he now had on me.

"Like he said, Kabuto didn't do anything inappropriate nor dangerous to me. He simply wanted to keep me company and assist me in finding the scrolls Orochimaru needed." I justified straight-forwardly, backing-up Kabuto's earlier claim.

Hearing that made Kabuto's smirk stretch which made me roll my eyes. My statement was also convincing enough for Sasuke when he finally deactivated his Sharingan. He swiftly turned on his heel and walked towards the hole on the ceiling. He effortlessly hopped out of the hole and I noticed that he stood there just on the edge of it above my head. I assumed that he was waiting for me to give him my hand so he could help me out of the room. With that thought, I stood up and slid my feet towards the hole and glanced up only for my eyes to receive a strain feeling due to the light that I hadn't been exposed to for a while.

Once my eyes accustomed to the light coming from above, my hunch was correct when I saw my brother standing on the edge of the hole once again. What was new was that he was in a crouching position and his hand was extended at my way, which hinted that he wanted to pull me out if I gave him my own hand. However the height of the room was about three times my height and I don't have enough energy to jump and reach his hand myself. Sasuke could tell what the holdup was and he threw me an annoyed look.

As I tried to think of a solution, I heard footsteps in the room I was in and I looked over my shoulder only to see Kabuto walking towards me, looking as if he was planning something in that mind of his. He paused his feet when he stood right in front of me as I waited for him.

Seeing this made Kabuto put on his signature smirk. "I'll boost you up." He simply offered and he linked his fingers together, placing himself in a balanced position.

I immediately comprehended what he meant, and gave him a nod. I placed my foot on his linked hands while I placed my hands on his shoulders so I could keep my balance. When he made sure I was ready, we simultaneously used our energy to lift me off of the ground as he used his strength to heave me up towards my brother. As I was lifted, I stretched my arm at Sasuke as he did the same until he successfully grabbed my hand. With his power, he easily pulled me up from the hole and the next thing I knew, I was finally out of the damn dump. I took in a breath of "fresh air" and sighed happily; I never thought in a million years that I would miss being in these long hallways again. Sasuke saw this and I could see him giving me a weird look; thinking _what the hell is wrong with her?_

I then realized that Kabuto was still in that room and my first instincts was to help him out of there. I rotated my body and scanned through the hole. Sure enough, said person was standing there looking back at me with his smirk still on his face; he too was expecting me to pull him out too since he assisted my flee. I glanced at Sasuke and he gave me a stoic look, but I knew right away that he was letting me do this on my own. I huffed heavily at his stubbornness and reached both of my hands downwards for the medic-nin to grab. His smirk stretched and he leaped from the ground he stood then he grabbed both of my hands. I tightened my grip on his hands as he did the same while his body was hanging from below. I was lucky enough to have the strength to pull him out after a couple of failed attempts with his assistance of pulling up a part of his weight.

Kabuto nodded a thanks as I let out air from exhaustion. I heard a grunt sound from Sasuke while he lifted himself on his feet and he strongly looked at me; I had no clue what he was thinking that very moment. I stared up at him back, waiting for him to speak or to just walk away.

"Where are the scrolls you were assigned to find?" He asked monotonously, giving me a blank expression on his face.

It took me about a few seconds to process his words as I blinked innocently at him.

"They're right here…" I answered as my hand rummaged in my weapon pouch.

I pulled out said scrolls and I held them out to him, giving him a better look at them.

"I'll just give them to Orochimaru on your behalf, since he probably needs them and I still have to give my mission report." He suggested lowly, taking the scroll from my grasp.

I gaped at the sudden thievery from him as he turned away from me. Just when Sasuke was about take his leave, Kabuto stepped in without warning.

"Hold on just a second, Uchiha." He ordered nonchalantly as the raven continued walking. "This errand was assigned to _her_ , not you. She's the one who accepted his request and she's the one who _found_ them in the first place. So she should be the one to give the scrolls to Lord Orochimaru."

It was then Sasuke halted his footsteps immediately, which made anxious. It was bad enough that my brother couldn't stand even looking at Kabuto for more than ten seconds, plus the fact that four eyes being an idiot didn't care if he didn't like him at all. But now, he had the nerve to boss the raven around? Even _I_ don't do that… mostly because he was _that_ stubborn.

Was he just asking for a death wish from him? Guaranteed he would do just that if he kept this act up.

Sasuke snapped a side-glare over his shoulder at Kabuto as he reactivated his Sharingan. "I don't care what you have to say nor if what you're saying is true. It makes no difference if I give him these scrolls or if she does." He gritted exasperatedly, narrowing his eyes at him.

Kabuto just gaped with a smile in a sarcastic matter. "Well, at least she took the time to do this errand instead of being rebellious about it." He hissed with a devious grin.

By the look on his face, I knew Sasuke was at the point where he had the urge to just kill the man instead of exchanging words. I also knew that Kabuto didn't care and that he was ready to defend himself. God, could anyone be the bigger person and just back down before things got ugly?

Nope, that was my job.

I placed my hand on Kabuto's shoulder and gripped it tightly, telling him to stop talking. Before, he would just give me a smirk and continue doing the opposite. However this time, he nodded in acceptance and remained silent, making it all the more easier for me. I sighed and glanced at my brother whose attention was now on me.

"Just ignore him, Sasuke. The fumes in that basement must've messed with him a bit, so don't think twice about it. As far as those scrolls go, you can go and give them to Orochimaru. The only thing that matters to me at the moment is getting them to him." I told him sternly, hinting him to not engage any further.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows at me, but he still did what he was told and walked away. From then on, that was probably the last time I would see him until later. I puffed out air from all the stress that was piling within me since getting locked in that room. That was the last time I would ever step foot near that place. I heard a scoff from my grey haired companion in which I turned towards him only to see him stretching out his muscles from being cramped in that dark place.

"The nerve of that boy… he really needs to know his place, that ungrateful snob." He grumbled in annoyance.

I squinted my eyes at his comment. "Need I remind you that ungrateful _snob_ is my brother? Plus, you're no different from him." I responded smugly, placing a hand on my hip.

Kabuto stretched his right arm and glanced at me with a smirk. "At least I _know_ my place, princess. Besides, I still can't comprehend how he's _your_ brother; you're nothing like him…"

I rolled my eyes at him. "We're siblings. It's common to have different characteristics and traits between each." I pointed out.

Kabuto just shrugged at my comment and eyed at the hole on the ground deeply.

"Great…" He huffed in bore. "The one thing I wanted to prevent was damage to the lair, and what does Uchiha do? Make my job more difficult…"

I overheard him talking to himself, which was sort of new to me.

"I still don't see the big deal. Just tell Orochimaru what happened and he'll get his men to fix it." I stated simply, not seeing the situation at his perspective.

Kabuto just scoffed at my words as his pupils turned to me. "Do you honestly believe that's the case? Lord Orochimaru can be reasonable, but not that reasonable…"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Well, you're his favourite and he holds you highly. I highly doubt he'll do anything harsh to you." I assured tiredly.

"Speaking of which, I should probably head on over to Lord Orochimaru. There's some things I have to tend to so I'll be leaving now…" He notified brightly and he too started walking away from me.

I gasped in realization as the boy's body distance himself from me. I quickly walked behind him and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to stop. He stood there with his back facing me for a moment, then he gave me a side-glance with a soft but blank look.

"You forgot something, Kabuto. Something very important…" I mused playfully, throwing him my own smirk.

Kabuto got an instant liking to my new demeanor and he too gave me his smirk. However he was curious as to what he was forgetting because he was one of the few who forgot nothing. He shifted his position until he was completely facing me, waiting for me to tell him what he was forgetting. With a grin, my hand slipped inside my pouch and after seconds of searching, I pulled out his well-known glasses that he couldn't live without. Because of his lack of vision, the grey haired male had to squint his eyes to see what I was holding. When he finally realized that it was his glasses I was holding, he made a face that hinted he felt sort of stupid. In my opinion, that wasn't really the case because of his sight so I was in no position to judge.

"Really? You haven't realized that you didn't have your glasses till now?" I questioned incredulously, raising my eyebrows at this fact.

Kabuto's first instinct was scratching the back of his head nervously. "On my defense, I know my way around all of the lairs that my vision isn't needed most of the time." He reasoned sheepishly.

"But don't you at least notice that your sight isn't good?" I wasn't comprehending his logic as well as I hoped.

"Yes, but I'm used to it so it doesn't bother me as much as you think."

The fact that Kabuto doesn't really need his sight really amazed me. Being in the Uchiha clan, we praised our eyes very much and though we were phenomenally skilled, our eyes was where our true powers lived. I literally told Sasuke years ago that we would be so screwed if we ever lose our sight out of nowhere. So considering how Kabuto could rely on his other senses rather than sight made me impress of his capabilities.

With a smile I moved myself closer to Kabuto and graciously placed his glasses where they belonged as said person allowed me to do the honors. Once I modified its position, he gazed deeply into my eyes as I was captivated by his dark pools. I could instantly sense that he inching closer and closer to me, wanting to kiss me once again which made my anxiety levels skyrocket. We were standing in the long hallways in which anyone who passed by could easily see Orochimaru's favourite subordinate making out with the vessel's sister; oh, the horror if that happened. Just when I thought his lips was going to capture mine, he halted just when the edges of his mouth brushed mine, sending shivers down my spine. I gathered the courage to look him in the eyes as he did the same. I watched his lips forming not a smirk, but a smile which caught me off guard. However the meaning behind the smile was still the same as the one behind his smirks and that thought made me both cautious and curious. He then went ahead and rested his forehead on mine, releasing a sigh that heated my face.

"It's a shame…" He whined mockingly as he pouted his lips a bit. "Leaving you when things between us are starting to get _good_ …"

I frowned upon that comment and I pulled my head away from his face.

"Hear me loud and clear when I say this…" I gritted down firmly, giving him a strong stare. "There is absolutely _nothing_ between us and there _never_ will be…"

Kabuto's smile turned wicked as he snickered, "Well, that's not what I see… or _felt_. You seem to love sharing that moment with me; kissing me and my hands touching your bare skin… it's surprising that you're not even admitting to liking it."

My lips parted at his reply then I gritted my teeth tightly, growling at him. "I was simply not thinking straight because I could barely breathe in that pit. Besides, what happened in there has nothing to do with my feelings for you. You are nothing more than a fellow medic-nin…"

Kabuto chuckled at me which angered me even more. Then he did the unexpected: he grabbed my chin and forcibly crashed my lips on his. I groaned in pain and pleasure as his lips moved hastily against mine. Though I was pissed at him for kissing me in such a matter, the way he did it was hot and I gave him credit where credit was due. However, that doesn't change the fact that he had no right to kiss me anytime he wanted. So with that, I pushed him away from my mouth as I threw him a livid look that expressed my anger towards him. I should've known that I was dealing Kabuto and people like him doesn't give half a damn about others being mad at them because he was a psychopath, which was both annoying and scary. I stood my ground and threw him a glare that warned him that he was one step closer to his grave.

Kabuto, being the psychopath he was, gave me a wicked smirk as he licked his lips. "What? It's not my fault that your lips are plump and sweet. I can't help the urge of wanting to taste them…" He defended seductively, gracefully touching his lower lip.

I couldn't hold back the blush that appeared on my face from flattery and fury. Kabuto right now was really pissing me off, even more than he ever had. I missed the other Kabuto who was very open and honest with his feelings; that one was the good one while this one should just go eff himself. Just looking at him made me even angrier and I thought that telling him off wouldn't do any good for me. So I decided to just leave him be and go to my room before I lost my cool. I started marching away, not batting an eye at the jerk as I headed towards my room.

"Where do you think you're going?" He questioned mockingly, putting on a smug look on his face.

I paused my steps and glared at him over my shoulder. "That is none of your business. I've had enough of your smug, snobby attitude. You being the hypocritical jerk you are, you pull me into your drama and just when I offered friendly advice and went ahead to say that you're a _good_ person, you continue with your psychotic antics, proving me that you're not human at all, you good-for-nothing bastard." I snarled at him.

I hadn't realized my anger caused my Sharingan to activate on its own until my sight turned slightly red. Kabuto seemed to notice this too because he was looking at me nervously; he wasn't expecting me to react in this way. Well, it was his fault for learning it the hard way. After a moment passed, he finally gathered just enough courage to speak, probably to redeem himself.

"I… I wasn't trying to anger you…" He defended shyly as he took a step back. "I didn't mean to—."

"Of _course_ , you didn't!" I interjected venomously, sharpening my glare at him. "You always have a damn excuse for your unforgivable and twisted actions, seeing as this wasn't your fault to begin with."

Kabuto remained quiet after I interrupted him which was a smart move. I disliked those who stopped me from making my point out there and clear.

"First, you pretended to be an ally with my team then you went ahead and backstabbed each and every one of us." I continued in a hiss. "You even tried to _kill_ us, Kabuto!"

As I lashed out the jerk, I started to feel overwhelmed and actually _hurt_ as every single word flew out of my mouth. I never took into consideration that his betrayal actually affected me in a personal level. Why did it mattered so much to me?

"And now, you promised me that you won't touch me for your desire and pleasure. You swore that you won't use me as your toy." I grumbled lowly, my eyes glistened. "Yet, you physically forced me to kiss you…"

Kabuto's eyes slightly widened at my words, finally realizing the problem and he attempted to move himself closer to me but I stopped him with my death stare.

"I'm sick and tired of males wanting my attention just to screw with me. Just because I'm pretty and attractive to you horny perverts, doesn't mean I don't have feelings too." I shakenly blurted out, avoiding eye contact. "I _hate_ it when people see me for my looks and not for me, alone. It just shows that no one cares about me and only cares about having me for themselves…"

I could feel the tears coming and the last thing I wanted was Kabuto seeing this _again_. First time was during our mission and I had regretted exposing myself to him since; I never wanted that to happen again. Since then I tried to keep my emotions intact. I wanted nothing more than to go back to my bedroom, crawl into my bed, and hide from the world until God decided to save me. With that, I started walking away again but at a quicker pace, trying to get away from Kabuto as quick as possible. Of course him being annoying, he followed me as he tried to convince me to stay.

However the one thing that took me by surprise was the fact that he grabbed my hand from behind, which eventually forced me to stop. Even though he stopped me from leaving, I refused to turn and to look at him in the eye because there was not telling what I would do. So instead, I let my head hanging down as my eyes were glued to the ground.

"Katsumi, please let me explain myself." He prompted in a begging matter, tightening his grip on my hand.

The first thought was that Kabuto really did cared about me and wanted to explain his actions so I wouldn't be mad at him. But now that I thought about it, I knew he couldn't feel remorse because he was nothing but Orochimaru's little, medical psychopathic servant; he was trained to not feel anything. So the fact that he wanted to express his "feelings" to me made me want to laugh. But the mood I was feeling wasn't the urge to laugh. It was the urge to not make myself scream under pressure. I pursed my lips as I thought of a response to give to Kabuto hardly as my head hung even lower.

"Do me a favour… never speak to me again." I mumbled coldly, making sure he got my message clear. "And don't ever think you can get away with it this time, because I'm officially _done_ with you."

Kabuto grip on my hand twitched at my harsh but honest words which instantly told me that he was hurt by my demand. As much as I didn't like hurting others, the grey haired medic-nin was an exception. If anything, he was using his elite lying skills to let himself off the hook because that was who he was sadly. I would never give him satisfaction, I would never let him drawn me into his "drama", I would never let him get the best of me, and I would _never_ let him touch me or kiss me or anything else along those lines. I was officially through with Kabuto Yakushi.

Speaking of which, I didn't need to look at said person to know that he felt both hurt and guilty for my distress.

"Katsumi, just hear—."

" _No_ , I'm done with your excuses, and I'm done with you…" I cut him off harshly as I forced his grip off of my hand.

Without wasting time, I slid down the hallway towards my room without turning back because it would pained me to see Kabuto "heartbroken" by my rejection, but it was what it was and he had to move on and so do I. In all honesty, I enjoyed his company when we were stuck in that dark room and I couldn't help but cradle him when he was telling me about his past; I was on the verge of caring for the male because I thought I saw the true Kabuto. But I was wrong. He would never be the person he acted when he was at his weakest and that sucked a lot. At this point, it was best to cut off all ties with him and move on with my life.

I made to my room more quickly than I thought and the second I stepped foot in it, I slammed the door shut and locked it from the inside. I laid against the door as I let out a relieved sigh; I was finally alone and away from people. I never thought that human could stress me out so much, I sometimes questioned why I wanted friends in the first place. No offense to them, but there were times where I wanted to be a loner… _alone_.

I pushed myself off of the door and walked over towards my mirror. I gazed aimlessly at my reflection, curious about my current appearance. _'I really need a shower.'_

But before I made my way to the bathroom, I noticed something peculiar on my neck. I examined it hardly and gasped to see love bites all over my neck. I mean, I wasn't surprised that I got them in the first place; I knew I was going to get some type of marking on me made by Kabuto, but I wasn't expecting this. This was the first time I had received one and the doer wasn't even someone I had feelings for. It seemed to me that the fling was much more than just a _fling_.

I wondered about Kabuto's hunger for me.

My fingers delicately touched the love bites and it instantly brought me back to the very moment he kissed my lips, and my neck. I could distinctly remember myself moaning desperately at his alluring movements on me. I sent shivers down my spine thinking about the fact that I enjoyed every moment with him. I enjoyed it so much, I actually went and kissed his neck when it exposed itself to me. I still had no clue why I did that, but all I could say was that I regretted feeling attracted to it.

Then, a flashback of harshly telling Kabuto off appeared in the depths of my memory, causing my body to shake. I couldn't help but feel a bit bad for things I said. Yes, he was being a bit arrogant and attempted to take over my body, however it was _I_ who was tempted; I was the one who had the choice to stop it and I didn't. To be honest, it wasn't really his fault for not knowing that I didn't want it because in actuality, I did.

It doesn't matter anymore, that was the last time I would experience this with Kabuto or anyone for that matter.

And I honestly hoped he didn't hate me for it because of the possibility of feeling something more for me.

Maybe I was the jerk.

I huffed loudly, trying to remove as much guilt and stress I carried within me which wasn't the case. My gazed became glossier as my eyes couldn't prevent themselves from looking at the love bites on my neck.

' _What are you doing to me, Kabuto…?'_ I thought hardly to myself, begging to know the answer.

* * *

 **This is probably the longest chapter I've ever did. Was it worth it? That's all up to you guys!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello fellow writers and readers! I have what you want… another chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Waiting to Earn It**

 **Kabuto's POV:**

Almost a week had gone by since I had spoken to Katsumi. Yeah, she was _serious_ when she told me to never speak to her again and vice versa. On one hand, I kind of understood why she was upset with me; I mean, I had been too forceful and maybe even a bit "horny" to the point where her thoughts didn't cross my mind. On the other hand, she too was just as allured as I was and as a matter of fact, she was the one who _started_ in the first place. It was natural for me to want to kiss her back.

Despite this, I shouldn't have provoked her with my words that went along the lines of inappropriate and creepy.

I don't why I even said what I said in the first place. I wasn't trying to scare her off nor was trying to sound like a jerk who just wanted to "get some". Far from it, actually. It had come to my realization that I was starting to have an emotional attachment to the girl; I was starting to carry a passionate feeling when I thought about the girl, saw the girl, touched the girl… I couldn't give the right words to this feeling. Also, it started to take control over me; my mind wasn't as sharp nor focused as it was before my lips first touched hers. Since then, I wanted nothing more but to hold her tightly in my arms, kiss her until dawn, wake up every morning with her peaceful, beautiful face being the first thing I see, and witness the highs and lows in life with her.

I stopped my thoughts from progressing any further than that, finally admitting to myself that I cared about Katsumi. I genuinely had feelings for her and I truly wanted her a part of my life. I wished to be her special one in her life.

Unfortunately, that dream was out of reach since said female wouldn't even speak to me. I felt guilty for pushing Katsumi when she was obviously uncomfortable but I ignored those warnings. Not to mention that she was on the verge of _accepting_ me as a friend and "normal" for that matter, so that added salt to the wound. However, I still had hope that she would eventually forgive me and hopefully confess her feelings for me. That would literally make me the happiest man alive today, having a beautiful, elegant female with a pure, gentle, but strong soul as my lover.

Such a bliss that would be.

It was only a matter of when and _if_.

I prayed because she wasn't like any other girl that I usually ignored or don't pay attention to; I don't even _considered_ her as just a _girl_. She was a strong, independent woman who could do as much stuff as male ninja. Her headstrong personal was one of the things that made me drawn to her.

I was so into daydreaming about Katsumi, I hadn't noticed that said person was present in my surroundings until I heard the door slam shut which made me flinch by the loud noise. I glanced aside to see the ravenette treading across the medical lab like a ghost haunting an ancient mansion as she silently grabbed required equipment and drugs to create new drugs and antidotes for Orochimaru. As I was doing my own examination, I sneaked a few gazes at her without being noticed. She placed all of the items she had collected on the examination table I was on but she positioned herself across from where I was working.

I studied the look on her face as she quietly started her assigned task, trying to pinpoint her current mood, what she was thinking right now, if her mood had anything to do with what happened last week, and if she was still angry with me. If that were the case, it would crush me; Katsumi was the first person that I was concerned of her thoughts about me.

The raven haired girl didn't even bothered blinking at me, never mind looking. Was she trying to avoid me? If yes, then why was she working on the same table as myself?

I tried to support my theory by sneaking a few looks at said female as she gracefully took some notes while I too was doing my task. My heart was beating very fast just thinking about getting busted by Katsumi for watching her every move— I would've too myself. But so far, she hadn't noticed this fact yet; she didn't even bother lifting her head from her work. I knew it was better to just leave her alone and wait for a better time to talk about _us._ Mainly because Lord Orochimaru would make us into his chew toys for his prisoners if we don't get our work done at the end of the day. Plus, she was possibly still holding her ground to not talk to me like she swore last week, but that was when she was fuming and honestly wasn't thinking straight.

Then again, none of that mattered because all I wanted was to have her trust back.

Nodding to myself, I stomped around the long table until I approached her with a brave face on. I halted my steps and waited for any reply or response to the fact that I stood right next to her. Of course she didn't say or do anything about it as she continued to write down more notes on her notepad. For once, I grew impatient by another human and without thinking twice, I snatched the notebook from her delicate hands. It was so unexpected that even myself was shocked that I actually went ahead and literally stole the girl's property, and I could tell she was too as her hands were held out in the position she held the book with which was no longer in her grasp. She slowly turned her head and gave me a dull look, paying most of her attention on her notebook rather than me.

"Can I help you?" She prompted hardly, hinting a demand to give her book back.

At least she was no longer giving me the silent treatment.

"Actually, yes." I answered with a similar tone. "I want you to stop ignoring me and pretending that I don't exist."

Katsumi rolled her eyes at my response and attempted to take back her book from my hand, which failed as I moved it away from her grasp.

"You're not getting this back until we resolve this." I proclaimed as I furrowed my eyebrows.

Katsumi puffed loudly in frustration. "For once in your life, can you not be impossible? I don't want that snake to skin me alive for not completing a task."

" _You're_ the one who's being impossible." I snapped out of spite, fed up with the girl's attitude.

The ravenette was sort of taken aback by my comeback. I couldn't blame her; I too was shocked myself.

Said female then sighed. "We don't have to resolve anything, Kabuto. There's no point…"

"Actually there is…" I confessed, slightly surprised and irritated by the girl's stubbornness.

Katsumi gave me a long look, processing what I just said seconds ago as she studied my facial expression. She then shook her head and treaded past me, avoiding a confrontation with me. Normally I would leave the person alone if they no longer had an interest in speaking to me in which I don't mind because it usually meant that I had one-upped them. But this was Katsumi Uchiha… the girl I cared about greatly and the thought of leaving her didn't sit well with me. In fact, it just made me feel sick to my stomach. However, the moment she claimed that there was nothing to resolve between us really made me nauseous; she was trying to avoid me as much as possible and I wasn't going to let that happen. Not anymore.

I swiftly snatched her wrist firmly, preventing her from walking any further from me. Katsumi stood still when I got a hold of her as her arm slightly tensed by my touch. She felt something there… I _knew_ she felt something there.

"Just give me two seconds to explain myself…" I begged softly, lowering my head.

"Time's up." She sarcastically replied as she tried to remove herself from my grip.

Luckily, I was a step ahead and strengthened my grip on her wrist as she attempted to walk away, forcing her to remain in her spot. I heard her hiss in frustration but dismissed it; I didn't care if she was angry with me at the moment.

"I'm serious…" I bit lowly. "Just listen to me…"

Katsumi exhaled and I heard her shift her position. Out of curiosity, I scanned over my shoulder and felt a sense of relief that she had given up trying to run away from me. She instead turned to face me and patiently stood there, waiting for me to say what I had to say.

I too spun around to face her as I mentally and emotionally prepared myself for the worst after this conversation was over.

"Then tell me already…" She ordered weakly, folding her arms across her chest.

Man, it was really happening. I was about to tell Katsumi how I felt about her, about our chemistry, our… basically we had done together. My god, I almost forgot that I was supposed to _breathe_ to live because I was that anxious. What was she going to say? Would she feel the same way? Was she going to reject me after my confession? What if I ended up heartbroken?

My questions would be answered… after I told her the truth.

So I took a deep breath in, and basically dared myself to let the words flow out of me.

"I tried with all my willpower to keep my mouth shut from telling you because I knew it's only going to make things difficult. But the secret has been killing me inside and I couldn't hold back from telling you any longer…"

Katsumi remained silent and still as she listened to my intro. She was so stoic that I had no clue if she felt anything within her so far. I guess I couldn't know until I continued on.

"For starters, I want to apologize for my behaviour last week. It was definitely uncalled for and I didn't mean to be smug or cocky about it either. I simply had no clue how to express my feelings and it came off as obnoxious. But now, I finally know what to say… to you…" I continued as I gave her a glossy look. "I've never felt anything like this before. I've never thought that someone like you could walk into my life and changed me and my perspective on almost everything. I've never cared for someone as much as I care about you, Katsumi. I don't know why, but every time I think about you, you make me feel good about myself because you gave me the attention that I've _never_ gotten for a long time. You made me realize that I was born with a purpose… you gave me a reason to live…"

Katsumi still hadn't reacted to my words yet, however I was slightly removing the stoic look on her face she held up as I spoke. I was getting to her.

"Ever since Mother died, I swore to myself up and down to never trust or care for anyone else ever again… but then you changed all that. Regardless of my attitude and my obnoxious personality, you still gave me comfort and the care I needed to make me feel good and I continue to every time I'm with you."

I was finally able to get a reaction from the ravenette however it wasn't as extreme as I originally thought. Her eyes just twitched as I spoke while her eyes slightly widened in shock. She then gazed aside as she lowered her head, trying to avoid looking at me in the eyes.

"Kabuto… just…" She hesitantly spoke gently, unsure if she should speak at all. "Just… what the _hell_ are you… trying to say…?"

I took the chance and reached over to hold both of her hands in mine. Katsumi did nothing to stop me as I held her hands firmly in comfort. I knew this was hard for her to swallow, but she did said she wanted honesty out of everyone and that was what I was doing. There was no way turning back now. As the girl looked to the side, it made me feel a bit hurt since she wasn't interested to even look at me but I also felt compassion because hearing something that was left rather unsaid was difficult.

But it couldn't be helped.

Referring to her question, I wasn't entirely sure if Katsumi was being literal about being unsure what I was trying to tell her because she was either in denial, or she was simply oblivious to the whole thing. She may be new to this, but she definitely wasn't stupid. Nevertheless, I gladly replied to her question while tightening my grip on her hands.

"I have feelings for you, Katsumi… _strong_ feelings…" I answered lovingly, meaning every single words that came out of my mouth.

A gaped face was the only reaction I received from the girl. If I wasn't serious about this topic, I would've laughed at the girl's face because her face was simply priceless. Also, I never knew Katsumi could look this shocked ever; maybe I was just _that_ lucky. Back to her reaction, I couldn't shake off the feeling of her thinking to herself that I wasn't being serious. Yes, I was a devious and deceitful person, but not at this moment. I was being completely honest to her… and myself.

"I'm not lying nor am I pulling anything. This has nothing to do with anything against you and I can assure you that Lord Orochimaru has nothing to do with it. I'm only telling you what's coming from my heart…" I justified truthfully to her.

I was shocked when her expression on her face relaxed, finally coming to terms to what I had just said. She probably wasn't accepting it, but she at least calmed herself down from having a panic attack. The girl's response to my confession caught me off guard because it was literally something I wasn't expecting her to say in this situation.

"Why… why me of all people?" She asked herself out loud. "Why are you so attracted to me? I don't see the appeal…"

It stung to hear Katsumi "of all people" think down on herself. One of the reasons why I was attracted to her in the first place was because of her high self-esteem and confidence with herself; she simply didn't care for others' thoughts about her except herself. That was why I started falling for her… she was a strong person and I was so awed by her empowerment. But now that she was putting herself down, it made me feel down about myself. I never would've thought that I would've mimicked her emotions accidently. A sign of compassion, maybe? A connection we secretly shared but didn't noticed?

I subconsciously moved closer to Katsumi to the point where my chest would merely brushed hers if I shifted in any way. She didn't seem too bothered by this either since she was too distracted by my words of admiration for her in which I continued to give her.

"Because you're simply so _alluring_ …" I breathed warmly, inching my face closer to hers. "Not only by your exquisite, elegant, and attractive beauty… but you're bold, strong, enticing personality too. You outshine others by these qualities and you don't even realize it, unlike me."

Katsumi finally but hesitantly glanced up at me as her onyx eyes glistened. I gazed softly into her eyes, admiring the sight I was seeing.

I gave her a small smile. "I'm not trying to be provocative. I'm saying this because _genuinely_ and _truthfully_ care about you a lot. I'm just telling you the truth and how I really feel about you…" I sheepishly defended, letting out an awkward laugh.

Unfortunately, Katsumi didn't seem to be laughing or even _smiled_. That frightened me because that raised my suspicion even more that she wasn't feeling the same way about me. Or maybe she was and she was trying to push those feelings away. Damn, this girl was so complicated to read; she was a hard book to crack open that was another quality that I liked about her.

I gave out a stressful sigh on her silence. "I completely understand that hearing all of this so sudden is overwhelming and a hard pill to swallow, but you have to understand my view of all this. You have to understand the feeling of having to risk everything, including your life… just to confess your feelings for another and desperately wanting them…" I defensively added, my grip on her hands tightened even more.

Katsumi's eyes started getting glossy, meaning either she was dazzled and mesmerized by my feelings for her or she was holding back tears from crying right in front of me. I applauded her for holding up her strong face regardless how overwhelming it was for her. It was hard for me to realize this sort of stuff simply because I couldn't give a tailed beast tail about a person's feelings so this was new to me. I should probably start learning; better late than never, I guess.

I could've sworn something flew out of the ravenette's mouth and I instantly snapped myself back into reality.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I sheepishly apologized, trying hard not to look stupid.

Katsumi huffed at my sheepishness. "What I said is… I just can't with this…" She muttered frustratingly, glancing aside.

I raised an eyebrow on her statement. "What do you mean by that?" I questioned hardly, not quite getting her words.

Katsumi then squeezed her eyes shut, being very annoyed and stressed about having to be specific on an uncomfortable topic.

"I knew it would lead up to this from the beginning." She gritted solidly at herself as I listened. "I should have never given you false hopes of me having feelings for you. I should have pushed myself away from you when you first befriended me. And now look at this… you're confessing your feelings to me and I have no clue what to…"

"You taught me that I have to be honest with my emotions and feelings and that lying won't solve anything." I commented at her quiet rant. "If you feel the same way, then we'll move beyond as friends. And if you don't, then just tell me and I will eventually move on… as much as it would pain me if that were to happen."

I kid you not, it would actually tear me up inside if she rejected me. Katsumi was the first person I had fallen for and I was so new to this feeling of admiration and seduction for someone else. It was scary indeed because anything could happen and everything that came out was unexpected. It was scary… but it was scary because it was exciting.

After a moment of silence, Katsumi shook her head. Probably at my comment I said earlier in which she didn't agree with according to her shaken head.

"It's not that simple, four eyes." She weakly snapped as she softly glared. "I honestly don't know what to feel because the whole thing is confusing the crap out of me. I don't know why, but sometimes I feel the damn urge to kiss you and then there are other times when I just want to punch you in the face; I have no clue if I feel the same way as you do or how I _should_ feel. I'll admit, I don't dislike you anymore and maybe I am attracted to you but that's as far as it gets."

I furrowed my eyebrows at her reason. It doesn't match up to her actions down at the secret storage room nor even the mission from a while back. Now I knew how she felt when I lied or denied about anything.

I lowered my head as my bangs covered my eyes. "If what you're saying is true, then tell me…" I grumbled lowly, containing my anger as I snapped my head upward. "Tell me why in the _hell_ you kissed me with so much passion when you could've just pulled away before it got heated. Why in the hell did you kissed my neck so lovingly, making yourself look like my lover? Why didn't you tell me the truth before my feelings for you started to grow? Why the hell are you purposely trying to rip me up inside?"

Katsumi remained silent as her faced was stoic. I was aware that I still had her ears but she refused to face me.

"Damn you, Katsumi…" I hissed under my breath, gritting my teeth as I took my anger on my grip on her hands.

Said female gritted her own teeth by my harsh grasp on her delicate hands.

"Are you luring me to lose my sense of self? Are you using me like everyone else in the past for your own—?"

"No, you _bastard!_ I am NOT!" She barked loudly, causing me to jump.

I gave my heart some time to beat at a normal pace because that sudden use of volume from the girl made my hollow organ skip a beat. What also surprised me was the fact that she went ahead and admitted that she wasn't toying with my emotions because considering how "unbearable" I was, it would make sense if she at least _tried_. Now that I had that assurance in mind, I gave her a long, patient look that signalled her to be more specific with her claim of defense in which she picked that up quickly.

"I would _never_ do something like that to anyone, not even you." She clarified in a softer tone, though she still sounded solid. "I know how it feels like to be used by others, believe me. The last thing I would ever do in my life is to do the same to others because it hurts too much to know that you were used as a tool and you've long did your purpose."

I remained quiet after hearing her defense until I gasped at her for swiftly turning her heel and faced her back towards me.

"… I… I don't want to hurt you… Kabuto…" She meekly admitted, her head hanging down. "I don't want to lie about feeling the same way when I don't know about my feelings myself… I don't want you to think I'm using you because I'm not… I just don't know yet…"

Hearing that she too cared about my feelings made me feel overwhelmed with love and glee. Katsumi _cared_ about me but she doesn't know for sure if she had feelings for me. I promised myself to never push the girl ever again but I felt like she need to evaluate the situation. She needed someone to see this in a different perspective and then decide if whether or not she felt the same way.

This could go either way, but I was willing to do it despite the chance of her not caring about me in _that_ way.

I gathered the courage to gently shove Katsumi against the edge of the examination table, earning a shocked gasp from said female. I ignored this and swiftly moved myself until I stood right in front of her with my body lightly rested against hers, making her even more confused and stunned. I positioned my hands to grip on the edge of the table by her sides to make sure she wasn't going to run away from me as my face was inches away from hers.

"Do you know exactly why I told you about my past and childhood?" I asked her gently, lowering my gaze then lifted to meet hers. "It's because I knew I could _trust_ you, Katsumi. I still trust you… and I'm…"

"That has nothing to do with me. You yourself decided to tell me…" She quickly defended, hardening her stare.

I had grown fond of Katsumi, meaning I was used to seeing the types of phases she went through based on her emotions. For instance, she was in her rebellious phase where she wouldn't listen to reason and simply did and said what she wanted to do or say. So I had to verbally approach her harder to get through to her.

"Well, did you also know that I _wasn't_ supposed to tell you?" I asked again in the same tone.

Katsumi flinched at my second question, taken back by this fact. I wasn't lying, it was true that I was forbidden to tell _anyone_ about my past and she was going to figure out more than this.

"How come? Why are you forbidden to tell anyone your past?" She asked incredulously, still surprised by this fact.

"When Lord Orochimaru took me in, he ordered me to never speak a word about it or else it would complicate things. It's simply because he just didn't want anyone to know is all. There's no telling what will happen if word gets out." I answered, adjusted my position as my body brushed against hers.

Katsumi then made a face that looked like she was thinking about the stuff I just said and processing the information. So I waited patiently until she was done having her personal thoughts.

"What would've happened if you did tell someone?" She questioned cautiously, giving me a wary look.

I sighed a stressful sigh, preparing myself for the reaction that was about to come.

"Simply put, my life would be on the line." I easily answered, my voice got shaky all of a sudden.

The ravenette gasped at my answer in horror. Seeing the look on her face made me scared for my life too, now that it gave me a reality check. Katsumi's horrified face turned into an angry one as she glared daggers at me.

"Idiot, then why would you tell me if you knew that you can get yourself _killed!?_ " She lividly inquired as she gritted her teeth.

I subconsciously dismissed her anger and frustration, more irritated by the fact that she wasn't getting the point.

I made a 'tsk' sound and answered, "It's because I'm willing to risk my life to prove to you that I was being honest about my feelings for you."

Another gasp left Katsumi's lips, leaving her frozen out of shock. For some reason, it felt good that she reacted in a way that showed her concern for my wellbeing. It made me feel good and it gave me hope that she cared about me to the point where she loved me.

"Kabuto…"

I rested my forehead against hers as I let out air from my lips. Her shaky breath wafted on my lips, raising my urge to capture her lips. I bit my lower lips to prevent myself from going forth my wishes and instead focused my attention on her onyx eyes as I gave her a soft look.

"Don't you see, Katsumi? I've fallen for you and all I want is your comfort, care and you as a whole." I shakenly begged, removing my glasses and placing it on the table behind her.

Katsumi's eyes started to water as her pupils moved away from my own. I wanted to see the glossy look she gave me just a second ago and I firmly cupped her cheek and forced her to look at me. Her eyes were shimmering thanks to her tears refusing to fall, making her all the more beautiful.

"All I want is _you_ …"

I waited for her to reply to my attempt in convincing her and her feelings that she felt something about me. I knew for a fact that an ordinary person couldn't kiss the way she did and not feel anything about it. It was highly unlikely. I snapped out of my thoughts when she huffed loudly in stress and took me by surprise when I felt her hand gripping my own, the same hand that was preventing her from looking away from me.

"I like you… more than a friend, Kabuto…"

I could've sworn that Katsumi herself just said that she felt the same way. However it was different. She admitted to liking me as a friend, but did she had _feelings_ for me. As in, did she _love_ me? I wouldn't say this myself because I physically couldn't say that word after being betrayed by my close ones. Even though Katsumi would always seem to be by my side, I just couldn't bring myself to say those words to her. In fact, I wasn't sure if I do _love_ her, but I knew it was something more than _liking_ ; I was between love and like if that made sense. Considering she admitted she liked me made me a bit stunned, but it mostly made me happy. _Very_ happy. But for some reason, it wasn't enough for me. I wanted her to fall for me and me alone; I wanted her to want me. But she doesn't. If anything, it was more like she knew she liked me and wouldn't mind kissing me and stuff, but she also wouldn't mind if things didn't work out. I bet she wouldn't bat an eye if I didn't become her significant other.

Damn it all to hell.

"But, still… whatever we have for each other has to stop… for the sake of both of us…" She then added hardly, scrunching her eyes.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her last comment, not approving her lack of cooperation. She admitted to most of the things I suspected of her, and yet she still pretended that she had no part in this or at least thought she shouldn't have any part of this. I never realized she was this difficult until now, which made me feel bad that I was this difficult with her but for different reason.

"Why do you keep pushing away from me, Katsumi?" I seethed in pain, hurt by the girl trying to run away from me.

Katsumi shook her head hastily; it was the most childish thing she had ever done. It made her so innocent and cute, my heart was beating in my throat.

"I'm not pushing away, Kabuto. I'm trying to avoid an ugly situation…" She refuted. "If my brother figures out what's going on, then—."

"So that's your problem, isn't it? It's that damn Sasuke you're worried about." I growled under my breath, getting sick and tired of that boy getting in my way when he had nothing to do with me.

Katsumi looked offended by my assumption and frowned. "Of course, it's Sasuke. He's always been overprotective of me and he can't stand you at all… I can't even imagine what he'll do if finds out…" She scoffed irritably.

I was already aware of this information, and I couldn't care less in all honesty. I shouldn't care no longer about what others might think or say about me falling for Katsumi. At this point, I don't care if Lord Orochimaru executed me right here right now because all I wanted was Katsumi. She was the one thing I wanted.

"I don't care about him at all, and neither should you. You're allowed to make your own decisions without the influence of others…" I scolded, containing my frustration.

Katsumi stayed quiet, seemingly looked like she no longer wanted to continue this conversation.

"Tsk, regardless of that… there shouldn't be any sort of relationship between us. It's just too much to handle, and I don't want to risk our safety…" She responded stubbornly.

All of a sudden, Katsumi used her strength and flexibility to escape from the space between my arms as she quickly made her way to the door. Luckily I figured she would eventually attempt to get away from the situation. This time, she wouldn't leave that easy.

Just when the ravenette held the lock to unlock the door, I swiftly launched my hand and cupped her own, preventing from turning it. Her body tensed when my grip tightened on her hand as she tried to unlock the door despite being bounded by my grip. I leaned my body against hers which lightly pushed her against the door as she lost all the personal space she had. I knew this was way more uncomfortable for her than it was for me; in fact, I enjoyed it very much. Quite soothing. I felt her body more tense than her mind as she sighed in frustration which made me smirk a bit; she knew she wasn't getting out as easy as she hoped.

I nuzzled her thick, lustrous, dark hair as my arm snaked around her slim waist. I subconsciously started kissing the skin behind her ear, resulting Katsumi to breathe hastily. I could feel her body shaking against mine as the adrenaline rose rapidly.

"Please, Kabuto… I-I can't…"

"Yes, you can…" I assured her encouragingly, not wanting this opportunity to pass. "You just have to relax…"

I then kissed harder on her sensitive skin, making her breathing stagger. Her whimpering made me turned on in a millisecond, regardless if it was in a wanting sense or not.

The ravenette plopped her forehead against the door in defeat, getting the idea that my persistence was very strong for her.

"Kabuto…" She breathed hardly, gaining her ground back. "What is it you're trying to prove?"

I chuckled lowly at the girl's question as I nuzzled my way down to her neck as I answered against her skin.

"… To show you just how much I _want you_ …"

What Katsumi did next almost made me fall over: she snickered. Literally she was snickering at my demand which raised the question: Why? She then gently gripped my hand that was holding her waist as her next sentence threw me off but also sent my mind into drive.

"Then I _dare_ you…" She muttered seductively, which that could be mistaken for a threat.

Did I care? Not in the _slightest_.

I felt her body rotated between the door and myself until she was completely facing me with her perfectly structured face. Her sparkly onyx eyes were so captivating to me; it was the window that behind it was a pure, proud, strong soul she carried. She was so perfect and lovely… every day that fact increased every time I looked at her.

I lifted my hands and gently gripped her face as I moved myself closer to her. Katsumi was now pressed firmly between me and the door, limiting any movement. She breathed deeply as her fresh breath blew on me as my thumb lightly rubbed her lower lip. I couldn't hold back my hunger for her lips so I leaned in and pressed my lips firmly on hers as she did the same. We moved our lips passionately as I felt her slender arms wrapped around my waist. My thumb softly rubbed on her soft, lightly-tanned cheek as a moan escaped my mouth into hers. I slid my tongue into her mouth, exploring within it as I massaged her own tongue. The taste of her mouth was a flavor that I couldn't explain but simply couldn't get enough of.

I decided to take this to the next step, so I wrapped my arms around her waist and used my strength to lift the female off her feet by carefully pushing her up against the wall. As I did so, she loosely wrapped her legs around my waist to keep herself up. She caressed my cheek and neck as one of my arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and the other held up her thigh. I pulled away from her lips, gaining both of our breaths when I did so. As I held the girl in my arms, I walked over towards the medical table while I felt Katsumi's arms around my neck solidly, keeping herself up.

I placed her on the edge of the table as I positioned myself between her legs and crashed my lips on hers, kissing her with hard passion. Without thinking, I swatted all of the medical equipment on the table that was near to the girl to prevent any injuries. I heard the objects I casted aside shattering and thumping on the floor while my mouth was glued to the ravenette's. She moaned into my mouth as I deepened the kiss. Just feeling the girl made my feelings for her grow. It just made want her more. Out of desperation, I snaked my arms around her waist underneath her top, feelings her soft, silky skin. Dismissing the possibility of being punished by the girl, my hands trailed up her back underneath her shirt which forced it to be pulled up as it exposed her hot, firm, feminine, perfect abdomen. I fondled her lower torso as she removed my hair from its ponytail. Her hand felt every muscle lining I had on my torso; heh, she thought of _me_ as _attractive_. Katsumi went ahead to tangle her fingers in my hair as she gripped it in an affectionate way.

I left a trailed of kisses on her chin and moved further down until I stopped at her neck. I playfully brushed on her skin with my lips, teasing her a little bit. Being serious like most of the time, she got irritated and tugged my hair, telling me to quit messing around. I granted her wish and kissed her neck lovingly, showing her how precious she was. I heard her moans that echoed throughout the room as she gripped a bunch of my hair tightly. My hand snaked up her thigh, feeling her flawless, glowing skin until my fingers came in contact with her shorts. I don't know how, but I actually had the guts to slide my fingers underneath her shorts' sleeve, feeling more of the girl's leg and unexpectedly, her panties.

I don't know _why_ Katsumi didn't suffocate me the moment I even _attempted_ to do so.

Regardless, she didn't mind as I continued to kiss her like there was no tomorrow. My lips went back to kissing hers at a slower pace this time. The ravenette didn't seemed to mind that as she sighed with her arms wrapped loosely around my neck. I snaked one arm around her waist as I used my other arm to caress her thigh, enjoying the feeling of her skin.

I finally removed my lips from hers and I panted heavily like I just ran a marathon. She too was panting she her arms remained around my neck which I didn't mind since my arms her sternly around her waist, refusing to let go. We stayed there frozen as we gazed captivatedly into each other's eyes, admiring the sight we were both seeing. If I had one dying wish, it would probably be to have Katsumi all to myself and being able to gaze into her eyes for as long as I pleased.

She was just so amazing that I couldn't think straight. The only thing I could think about was her.

"Well… what are you going to do now?" I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard said ravenette's question.

"Huh?"

Katsumi rolled my eyes for my lack of hearing then she lightly brushed my hair with her fingers.

"I'm talking about the equipment you knocked over. They're destroyed and they can no longer be used." She clarified calmly, sounding unfazed of me making out with her. "What are you going to tell Orochimaru?"

I wanted to punch myself for looking stupid at her question, but instead I laid out a smirk on my lips as I adjusted my grip on her and brought her closer to me while I was still in between her legs.

"I'll just tell him that the experiment didn't give me the result I wanted." I playfully purposed, not concerned about it one bit.

Katsumi smirked at how ridiculous I was and then she placed her forehead on mine.

"Lying to the 'great', Lord Orochimaru, huh…" I mused humorously, her lips brushing on mine. "You'll get in big trouble…"

I let out a chuckle and placed a sweet kiss on her lips, which she responded as she caressed my cheek. I pulled away and nuzzled her cheek as I rested my lips on her ear.

"The only trouble I have is pleasing _you_ …" I breathed enticingly.

Katsumi moved away from where I was to look at me straight in the face. She gave me a weird look that looked like she wasn't expecting something like that to come out of my mouth. Well, it was true. I don't know what else she expected. All of a sudden, she gave me a microscopic smile as she shook her head.

"Not everything is given to you. You have to _earn_ it…" She told me, like a professor teaching a student.

Katsumi was right though, but it didn't really applied to us. My feelings for her wasn't given or earned, it just _happened_. There was no formula nor theory in earth that could explain _love_ , _intimacy,_ and _feelings_ for another. If that wasn't what she meant, then she probably meant that in order for her to feel the same way I did, I had to _prove_ to her that I was into her so much hence the "earning" part. But how was I able to achieve that? Realistically, it would make more sense if she didn't feel the same way because she didn't in the first place, period. The fact that there was a condition attached to it kind of gave off that it wasn't really real. Then again, I wasn't sure if Katsumi had ever been in an intimate relationship like this. True she was with the Hyuga kid, but let's be honest, all they cared about was marrying someone from another famous clan to make sure their babies was so powerful and represent their clan and what not.

My point was, how was I supposed to earn her heart when she mentioned not to long ago that she did feel the same way for me? It just wasn't adding correctly. Was she probably giving me a chance to prove myself? Possibly, but the ravenette was unpredictable so I couldn't be so certain when it came to her. Regardless, she hinted that she was opened to the idea of falling for me and maybe be in a relationship. It was all in the matter of _when_.

In a perfect world, Katsumi would fall for me as much as I fell for her, had an intimate and wonderful relationship, got married, had at least two children, grew old together and die together as we peacefully watched over our kids from above. Oh, what a bliss that was.

But that was my dream. What was _her_ dream?

The last thing I wanted was to push the girl and pressure her to make up her mind. If being patient was the way to get what I wanted, then I would do just that. Regardless of circumstances and the girl's perception in all of this, there was still a _chance_. A chance that must take time for it to grow.

' _I made up my mind…'_ I mentally noted as I brought Katsumi off the table and used my grip to give her a comforting hug.

She happily responded to the hug as she wrapped her arms around me tightly in a loving matter.

' _Whatever the result is… I'll wait for you, Katsumi…'_

* * *

 **Finally done! Damn that was some chapter right? Hope you like it cause there's gonna be more good stuff coming! You'll just have to wait.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Another chapter for you fanfic lovers! Much love to you guys! And thanks to those who love my story cause seriously, you make me blush.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: A New Chapter With a Twist**

 **Katsumi's POV:**

I never thought that I would be such a hypocrite until last week. Damn, I was becoming less of an Uchiha than I already was. Actually no, I never cared about _being_ an Uchiha in the first place because I was disrespected by the whole damned clan. Plus other stuff, but I really don't want to get into the details.

Excluding that fact, I never considered myself as a hypocritical person because I strongly believed I was a straight forward person. Ask anyone that knew me well. Even Sasuke knew I was because I saw no reason to give an unnecessary lie to anyone for any reason.

Anyway, the reason why I brought this up in the first place was because before last week, I made an oath to myself to push away from Kabuto and not get involved with him where it could be taken way out of proportion. But now look at me, dammit. I was a _hypocrite_ for once in my life. I don't know what changed my mind, but after four eyes confessed his feelings for me, the realization of me possibly feeling the same way blossomed within my mind; this whole time I knew in my heart I felt something but my brain refused to accept it because I was in denial to begin with.

The funny thing was that he didn't try anything to achieve it. Kabuto frickin' Yakushi was just being an honest man and told me how he felt about me and of course me being a hypocritical, hormonal girl, I allowed him to sweep me off my feet like every single stupid fairy tale that ended with a happy ending. God, I hated those! And I hated myself for allowing the jerk to do this to me. He forced me to welcome another man in my life that I knew for a fact that it would end badly. I just knew it.

I couldn't understand _why_ either. I mean, Kabuto wasn't drop-dead gorgeous but also all the guys I had grew up with weren't either. But he wasn't disgusting nor hideous, he just looked like a stereotypical bookworm that I somehow and _someway_ "dug" him. Maybe it was because I was a bookworm myself and we were meant for each other, but everyone also claimed that Neji and I were meant for each other too and that we would make beautiful babies with our genes and whatever. The Yakushi boy was simply a regular guy that was well-built—in my opinion—, was very intelligent—which I also liked—, very focused, and confident in himself. There were other characteristics that explained him but it didn't matter because all of which were most of the things I liked in a guy.

So did I like Kabuto? Yes, I do. Was I attracted to him physically, mentally, and emotionally? As much as I wanted to deny it, yes. Do I have feelings for him? Yes and no for complicated reasons. Would I ever _love_ him? No but I wouldn't go ahead and say never.

I really wanted to punch and kick myself for being such a weak girl who needed a man in her life to live—and I wasn't saying that I was—but I looked like it and it didn't sit well with me. I eventually stopped regretting in feeling something for the boy because I learned more about Kabuto than I did before we became as close as we were right now. And to be honest, I was happier than I was before. It was good to have someone by your corner when they were needed and were able to comfort and say the right things to make the scary and horrible stuff go away.

It was a good feeling that I would consider in cherishing.

Cut back to right now, where I was currently working in the examination room for the snake. For some odd reason, ever since we had upped our relationship the animosity between Orochimaru and I decreased. Don't ask me why because I had no answer to that myself. It wasn't because I saw him in a different light because the only light I saw on him was his pale white skin and nothing else. Lately, I had been doing errands and missions without any problem nor complaint. If anything, I was starting to _obey_ that evil reptile. I was becoming a _second_ _Kabuto_.

I was working on mixing medical herbs and other drugs to recreate physical and spiritual energy at the same time to maximum amount to regenerate chakra. But for some reason, they weren't reacting the way they were supposed to. I tried measuring and balancing the amount, the volume, and the concentration of the each, but the results kept blowing up in my face. _Literally._

I spent so much time that I got super uncomfortable and I felt that my clothes were getting tighter every passing hour. I was fed up and just wanted to rip off all of my clothes and work naked. Of course, that was unethical. Kabuto stepped in and offered to borrow his shirt and after being a pushy gentlemen, I finally accepted his offer and I was glad that I did. He gave me one of his resting shirts that was dark navy blue that was so big, it reached down to my upper thighs. Literally, it looks like I was wearing no pants nor underwear, just a huge shirt. It was comfortable to say the least but it also made me have the urge to plop on something soft and turn in for the night even though it was about nine in the morning.

The fact that Kabuto and I were at the stage where we shared our items with each other made me feel awkward. I was never this close to _anyone,_ excluding my brother. It wasn't like I didn't like it, it was just new to me. They always said "try something new", and now I completely understand what they meant.

As I kept my mind occupied from wanting to blow itself up from frustration, I heard the door opened then closed. I didn't bother checking who it was because it was so obvious who it was now present in the room with me. I waited until the suspected someone walked over towards me and stood right behind me to the point where I could physically feel the person's chest in which I slightly shivered. They didn't have their shirt on, dammit. I relaxed my nerves as I brought my attention back to my work. But of course, he didn't make that easy for me. He wrapped his strong, firm arms around me as he rested his head against the back of mine. One of his hands started caressing my stomach which made my body shiver even more like I was stuck in the snow and was lacking a jacket. He pressed his nose and lips against the far part of my jawline as he breathed his hot breath on my skin, warming me up.

This was what I meant. I was a hypocritical and hormonal girl and I wanted someone to kick me to the curb and yell at me to get a life. My mind knew that but my emotional organ—also known as the heart— didn't want to hear it from my brain nor anyone else.

There was no point in forcing myself to work on something that wasn't going well while jerk-face here was trying to _seduce_ me so I huffed loudly and dropped my notebook on the table.

"I'm back…" He breathed beguilingly and gave me a peck on the cheek.

I sighed at his obvious statement. "Of course you are, Kabuto. I would still be working if you weren't…"

I felt Kabuto's lips pout on my skin as his hands moved downwards on my waist. "Are you implying that you're not happy to see me?" He asked accusingly, trying to make me feel guilty for "hurting" his "feelings".

I rolled my eyes as I lifted my hand over towards my shoulder and rubbed his cheek.

"That kind of hurts my feelings…" He added mockingly, pressing me closer to him.

"Puh-lease, since when _your_ feelings have _ever_ been hurt?" I scoffed with an unimpressed smile.

"…Since I started having feelings for _you_ …" He whispered alluringly.

My face fell the second I heard him said that. It wasn't because I was disappointed by this fact since my goal was to prevent it from happening. The reason was because of his feelings for me, he was turning into a different person. He was more open, honest, loving, embracive, compassionate and empathetic especially towards me. At first I thought he was faking it, but I was wrong; he was actually being for real. In a way, it made me feel special because he was never like this until we started getting closer than friends and it was because of me that he was changing for the better. I couldn't help but feel good. The downside to this was that _I_ wasn't changing at all. I wasn't changing in a way that he was: being all cute, fluffy, bleh stuff.

To put it simply, I wasn't really showing Kabuto how _committed_ I was as much as he was.

Did that made me a bad person? I couldn't help it since I didn't love him as much as he loved me and I wasn't even certain if I loved him in the first place. I had never loved a guy in my life with the exception of Sasuke, Itachi, and Naruto but even there _love_ was at a different sense. It was just too scary, such a handful, too much commitment and it was just something I didn't want to get myself into.

Overall, I honestly felt bad for not expressing so much of myself to Kabuto as he was doing to me. All the stuff he had done for me… I don't think I deserved any of it.

"Hey, Katsumi…"

Kabuto's call for my attention instantly worked as I hummed in response.

"Don't worry about me. I understand… you're unsure of your feelings for me…" He gently assured, slowly slipping his hand underneath his shirt which I was wearing. "The last thing I'd ever want is pressuring you and for you to push away from me for that…"

I could distinctly feel his hand touching and feelings my tummy. His hand was hungry for the firm and flat torso and continued to caress with love. Touches like Kabuto's made me feel anxious, excited, and enticed. I had never got this feeling with Neji, ever.

"… Plus, I know that you're at least attracted to me, and that's satisfying to know…" He added kindly as his grip on me tightened.

The one thing I also kind of adored about Kabuto was his comforting words. There weren't cheesy, nor a lie. He was being honest, and considering that it was from the likes of him, it made me feel even more special. I sighed calmly and gently tightened my grasp on his neck.

"I know I'm being complicated, but I just can't get my mind straight on this. I feel like such a bother because of this." I grumbled lowly, furrowing my eyebrows. "If I could feel the same way, then maybe we could—."

"It doesn't have to go that way, Katsumi…" Kabuto interjected hardly in a sweet matter. "I told this already… I'll _wait_ for you no matter how long it takes. All I want is to be with _you_ …"

Feeling loved by someone that wasn't related felt so much like heaven, it was crazy. I mean, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei and everyone else loved me too, but not in a romantic way. Even Neji wasn't _this_ intimate with me because he was a Hyuga and like the Uchiha, intimacy and relationships don't matter, only popping out gifted babies mattered. Sure, Neji actually cared about me a lot and actually tried to change himself for me—which I couldn't be more flattered—but it just wasn't the same with Kabuto. The Yakushi male didn't want a baby nor a strong heir/princess of a strong clan, he just wanted _me_. I couldn't hold back the blush becoming visible on my cheeks.

"That's comforting to hear… thank you…" I smiled softly, looking down at the table.

Kabuto puffed from his nose then he finally released his hold on me, which sort of left me standing there a bit empty. Lately, I had gotten used to being in his arms. I heard him walked over to my side and he heaved himself up to sit on the edge of the table. He watched me as I continued working. I prayed to God he wouldn't notice that I was having a bit of trouble with it and just get lost looking at me, but dammit that wasn't the case. I wasn't even half close.

"You forgot the convert the volume units in that equation there…" He critiqued blankly, pointing his index finger on a part of my written calculations.

I gritted my teeth for my mistake. I was an Uchiha; this was a problem for me.

"S**t! I knew it!" I exclaimed in frustration, immediately started scribbling at the mistake I did.

Kabuto smirked, finding my frown cute and attractive as he lightly pinched my cheek like how a father would do that sort of thing to his daughter. I winced when he gently squeezed his grip on my cheek, giggling at my reaction.

"Don't sweat it, my child." He cooed sweetly, giving me a rare happy smile.

However, I didn't smile back or did anything at all. The look on my face looked like I saw something I regretted ever seeing.

"The hell, Kabuto?" I commented in confusion as I sounded weirded out. "You know what you just called me was disturbing in many levels, right?"

Normally, when a guy liked me and said something that came off the wrong way, they would usually blush and do whatever the hell they could to redeem themselves even after countless of times of me telling them it was no big deal because it really wasn't a big deal. Apparently, Kabuto was different than the others because he simply shrugged at my analysis; he never really took my words to heart which made it somewhat easier for me.

"Well—on my defense—you _are_ considered a minor, also referred to as a _child_." He pointed out matter-of-factly as he adjusted his eye glasses.

I cocked my head to the side. "Yeah, but still… it's kind of weird and appalling to call _me_ —your _partner_ —a child." I countered as I lifted an eyebrow, waiting for this information to sink in.

My eyes narrowed in suspicion when Kabuto gave me a devious, tempting, and dangerous smirk which was rare to see unless if he was really trying to scare someone. It wasn't scaring me, but it was creeping me out.

"Partner…" He repeated the one word I blankly mentioned in a low, mysterious tone.

I was getting curious now; what the hell was he up to?

"Yes… I like the sound of that…" He sighed blissfully, closing his eyes as if he were in heaven. "Katsumi Uchiha… not only my medic partner… but also my _intimate_ partner…"

I exhaled loudly at him then went back to doing my original business. Even becoming his partner, he was still just as annoying as he was before.

"I swear, there's something in that head of yours that has to get out… whatever it is…" I commented underneath my breath, writing down more notes on the notebook.

"But seriously though… what's your take?" I heard Kabuto questioned in a tone which sounded that he was done trying to make a joke.

"My take on what?" I questioned back curiously as my focused remained on the paper in front of me.

"Your take on us being… partners." He clarified blankly, sounding a bit hesitant. "When you and I are… at different stages of our lives…"

My mind processed his words, trying to pinpoint what he meant exactly because it was sort of broad to me. When he said, "different stages of our lives", what did he mean by that?

More importantly, what answer was he _expecting_ from me?

"If I may ask…" I spoke dully, keeping my eyes on my notes. "Are you referring to the age gap?"

That was really the only thing I could come up with in the last second. And it made sense now that I thought about it. It was true, Kabuto was older than me… a little _older_ than I wished. The age difference wasn't as bad to me since we were both intelligent, and mature beyond our age so I don't see a huge difference in that sense. Regardless of that, he was still older than me by a lot to others and sometimes myself—which was another reason why I initially wanted to avoid my feelings for him, but I had gotten used to it and Kabuto didn't seemed to be bothered by this at all.

Said male nodded nervously at my assumption, to which I continued.

"It's true you're older than I am by a few years." I stated, writing down some notes. "I don't know what else there is to it."

"Six years isn't _just_ a 'few years'." He amended in a sigh as he rested his chin on his hand. "Not to mention that you're still a minor and I'm an adult, which is kind of controversial for _that_ reason. You're the youngest person I've ever fallen for, never mind the _only_ person."

I stayed quiet as I written down more calculations. Kabuto saw this as me avoiding the topic to which he continued regardless.

"I know that age is just a number to you… but _still_ …"

I cut him off by sighing loudly, signalling to stop telling me his worrisome antics. I dropped my notebook and pen and turned to face him.

"You're right, age _is_ just a number to me, and it should be to you too." I straight-forwardly claimed. "Reason being is _because_ I know how you feel about me and how I feel about you, despite those strengths. Your strong feelings for me tells me right away you don't care how old I am, and that you'll still treat me with respect, compassion, care… and love. So don't worry about it…"

Kabuto blinked incredulously at my words, especially when I mentioned that I even had feelings for him. They weren't as strong as his, but they were still feelings.

"As for me, it's the same…" I continued as I placed most of my weight on the table. "I couldn't care less if you're six years older than me. If anything, it's not as bad as you think it is. Sure, I'm considered a child and you're an adult who is technically having an intimate relationship _with_ a child, but that's not important to me."

"But what about your village?" He then questioned curiously, wanting an answer immediately. "There's no doubt that the Leaf will do some—."

"Again, that shouldn't be bothering you, Kabuto…" I interrupted him again with a sigh. "I'm no longer a shinobi from the Leaf, so their _regulations_ have nothing to do with me. As for you, they shouldn't be poking their nose in your business at all…"

Kabuto seemed to relax after I assured him with my debating skills. I loved the feelings of being right; it just felt too good. Never remembered the day I was wrong.

"However…" I spoke up, gaining the boy's attention. "The person you _should_ be worried about is Orochimaru…"

Kabuto shrugged of this detail as he looked at the floor. "Believe it or not, I'm not really concerned of that. There's never been a situation where his henchmen or subordinates being punished for having an affair or a relationship with another of that kind. Besides, it's not like we're standing in his way from his ambitions, so I'm pretty sure he won't do anything drastic." He explained briefly.

I raised an eyebrow on his hypothesis. "Are you sure there isn't anything we should be worried about? Nothing at all?"

Kabuto glanced at me as he gave me a blank look, not wanting me to read his eyes because he knew how good I was at that sort of thing.

"The only thing I believe he won't be happy about is the fact that I told you about my true self and my past." He answered assumingly, however it sounded like he was certain about this statement.

I nodded. "True. I mean, I don't see a good reason _why_ though." I agreed doubtfully, genuinely curious about it.

Kabuto shrugged. "Me neither. And honestly, some of the stuff he says makes no sense to me." He admitted with as he rested half of his weight on his arms behind him, giving me a good view of his perfect, manly physique.

"And do you say anything?" I asked amusedly, enjoying this humorous side of his.

Kabuto snorted at my question. "That's like asking you to tell Sasuke he reminds you of a duck's ass; his hair looks like a duck's behind… and he's simply an _ass…_ "

I giggled at his joke; it was hilarious of how true it was.

"Yeah, you're right…" I agreed with a small smile. "I even tell him that myself…"

Kabuto's eyelids twitched at my words.

"Yeah, and he hates it because it's the truth." I added, supporting this fact. "He also hates the fact that he can't tell me off like he does to other people because it doesn't faze me."

Kabuto snickered then the look on his face fell into a serious, hard look.

"What do you think will happen…?" He spoke thoughtfully, grabbing my attention. "… If Sasuke figures out about us…?"

I thought about his question, trying to give him a decent answer. I too question about this: what _would_ Sasuke do?

"He'll probably rip your arms, beat me with them. Then, to top it all off, he'll rip out your intestines and strangle me with them until I learned my lesson." I answered blankly, not fazed by my disturbing assumption.

Kabuto gave me a weird look after he heard the answer he got. I guessed he regretted ever asking me the question.

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

I shrugged at his comment. "He's also unpredictable. What's your point?" I muttered.

Kabuto remained silent after my question, raising my curiosity. I never meant to ask him a legitimate question but now that he was giving me a weird look, I was curious to know. I threw him a solid look, demanding him to speak to which he sighed.

"What I meant to say is…" He spoke in a low, dull tone. "… I strongly feel that you shouldn't care what your brother thinks or in this case… how he'll _react_. He has to at least be considerate about it"

If Kabuto was in my position, he would win the award for biggest hypocrite in the whole Ninja World as I came as runner-up.

"What I'm hearing from you sounds like you believing Sasuke is the most selfish, unreasonable, horrible, heartless person on the face of this planet." I analyzed hardly, narrowing my eyes at him. "I know who he truly is because I've seen his soft side numerous of times since he doesn't trust anyone like he trusts me…"

Kabuto blinked at my words and then he adjusted his glasses as they were sliding down his nose.

"Besides, he's my older brother; his job is to protect me—his little sister—from everything and everyone." I added blankly as my eyes softened. "And to be honest, I don't blame him for not immediately approving me dating a guy who he not only dislikes, but is years older than me."

I heard a 'tsk' from the medic-nin as he furrowed his eyebrows at me. "Yeah, sure. But, he also has to know that I truly care and have strong feelings for you too. He has to understand that I will protect you as much as he does from anything and anyone… despite his personal feelings towards me and the age difference."

I slouched tiredly and lifted myself up to sit on the edge of the table like Kabuto. Once I succeeded, I rotated my body so that I was physically facing him entirely as I crossed my legs to make myself comfortable on the solid surface below me. The medic-nin did the same by turning his body to face me as one leg was hanging off the table and the other was folded between him and myself. It was then I really noticed that Kabuto wasn't wearing his shirt which didn't really faze me because since we had become partners, he gained both the confidence and comfort in being topless when I was around. I don't know why he was self-conscience because he was… _beautiful_. Like I mentioned before, he had a manly physique but wasn't _so_ buff. His torso had firm, manly breasts that weren't too big nor small. It had a set of abs that were showing his masculinity perfectly with a slim but broad waist. His arms carried muscles that were perfectly pulp and clearly showed his work while training. They weren't big and bulky nor they were small and bony, they were built just the way I liked it. On top of all that, his tanned skin toned was like the cherry on top of the delicious sundae.

It was then I knew I had a fetish for guys who were handsome but don't know it nor believe it; it made it all the more attractive.

Kabuto Yakushi was simply beautiful and hot, especially with his devious, unpredictable, seductive personality.

Just having these hot thoughts about my partner made me feel a warm, bugging sensation within the very core of me. Damn it all to hell. This was the first time I felt _aroused_. I never wanted to be that kind of girl who would think of hot, dirty, sexy stuff about their significant other because I wasn't interested in anything along those lines. But the fact that I was having these thoughts about Kabuto made me feel high in temptation as I felt my face feeling really hot. I tried my hardest to distract myself but dammit I ended up staring directly at the male's physique, which made me turned on in a second. The sight of this gorgeous human being made me start to sweat as I felt like my body was in fire. If I had a mirror right now, I wouldn't be surprised if I looked as red as an apple.

A moment later, I felt a hand cupping my cheek firmly as I winced at this sudden touch. I gazed up to see the same person I was fantasying about sending a kind, soft look behind his prescribed lenses. I blinked a couple of times while my mind tried to process as fast as it could to bring itself back to reality. Kabuto stretched his lips until they showed a sweet, soothing smile.

"I love it when your cheeks turn pink…" He complimented sweetly as his thumb lightly massaged my reddened cheek. "It makes you look even cuter and more beautiful…"

Kabuto's comment made me feel… it just made me feel lighter. He made me feel nervous yet prettier. His compliments were so genuine that I believed almost everything except I don't show it. I had had compliments about my looks and such, but they never really sounded truthful to me. But when the medic-nin complimented me, it made me feel good about myself. I usually get my self-confidence from myself and sometimes my brother; this time, this person was giving me self-confidence and it was Kabuto of all people.

I gave him a small, weak smile as I lowered my gaze. But I was forced to look up at him again by his grip on my cheek. The look he gave me was harder but his eyes shined by the light hanging on the ceiling.

"I mean that, Katsumi. You really _are_ beautiful…" He repeated kindly; his tone sounded like he meant what he said.

I would've thought that he was messing with me, but I _knew_ he was telling the truth. He really thought that I was the most beautiful thing that ever stepped on the face of the earth.

I removed his hand from my cheek and held his hand in both of my own. My eyes were glued onto my hands holding and playing with his, trying my hardest to distract myself. I knew I was still blushing and I chose not to look at Kabuto in the eye until the redness diminished. I never realized that my hands were baby-sized compared to his; it wasn't like his hands were huge, it was that my hands were smaller than average. When I clasped on his thumb, it reminded me of a baby holding onto its mother's finger. It kind of reminded me of the age difference between us.

"I can't help myself from blushing when you're always saying that 'I'm beautiful'." I pouted softly, keeping my eyes staring down at our hands.

Kabuto softly chortled at my words then he leaned over to kiss my forehead as I sat there frozen, unfazed by the kiss at all.

"So why did it take you so long to get here?" I asked him, completely changing the subject.

"Lord Orochimaru wanted to review the plan for the mission I'll be accompanying him later today. Once I was dismissed, I went to take a quick shower." He briefed simply as his eyes found the interest in watching my hands playing around with his own.

I kept my eyes on our linked hands as I curiously asked, "What's the mission, anyway?"

When I didn't get an immediate answer from Kabuto, I was confused. I finally gathered myself up and looked at him square in the face only to see the uncomfortableness on his face. It made me skeptical because I saw no reason to be so hesitant, meaning there was something that was a part of the mission he didn't want me to know. I glared at him in frustration, demanding him to start talking. The medic-nin knew he wasn't able to keep his mouth shut for long as he huffed loudly.

"Stopping a squad from the Hidden Leaf Village from bringing both you and Sasuke back." He answered flatly, staring at me expressionlessly.

I wasn't sure how to react so I just raised my eyebrow. I wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing in my case since I was basically forced to work for Orochimaru. But lately, I had gotten used to living here and the people within each lair. And in all honesty, the snake wasn't as heartless as I originally thought; he was a heartless being, but he didn't exactly made my life a living hell. However, I did missed living in freedom in the Leaf and seeing all of my friends and mentors that I cared so much for. Especially of those from Squad 7; each member were like family to me.

But regardless of that, I had Kabuto who loved and cared for me in a way I had never loved and cared for. And as much as it pained and shocked me to say, it would honestly hurt me to leave him for my former home. I couldn't believe that I was struggling the decision between Kabuto and the Leaf.

I gulped down my thoughts as I placed a stern look on my face while I gripped his hand tightly.

"Is there anything else I should know before I figure it out myself?" I inquired, verbally pushing him to tell me more.

Kabuto used his free hand to adjust his glasses on his nose; this normally happened when he was giving an answer that could be shocking for most people.

"Well, the squad that's assigned to the mission…" He spoke lowly, looking directly at my forehead to make it look like he was looking at me when I knew he really wasn't.

"It's the modified team of Squad 7…"

I was too busy thinking how unlucky I was as a human being. It was kind of ironic that Team 7 was coming here to bring me and Sasuke home when the team itself was my home already. But I wouldn't say I was as happy as I thought I would be in the past. I don't know if it was because of losing hope in ever returning, or living in this environment was—somehow—growing on me. I guess it was because I would be more willing to go back than Sasuke since he had a "reason" to stay with Orochimaru. Or maybe it was the fact that _he_ was the one thing that was holding me back from wanting to go. Whatever it was, I wasn't completely sure if I wanted to leave.

"What do you mean by 'modified'?" I suddenly questioned, forgetting about this detail added to his answer.

"Kakashi Hatake is out of action due to extensive injuries he endured during the Kazekage rescue mission, so a fellow jonin is taking his place in this mission. And there is also a ninja taking Sasuke's place… one of Danzo's Anbu I told you about a while back…" He briefly answered.

I remembered Danzo very well because I always heard his name almost everywhere I went since my childhood. I wasn't sure what kind of person he was since I had mixed reviews and rumours about him from a lot of people. But on a bias standpoint, I had the strange feeling that he was a corrupted, manipulative, conservative leader who cared about nothing but the Leaf after what Kabuto told me from personal experience. I was also aware of Kakashi being injured due to the overuse of the Mangekyou Sharingan because Itachi briefly touched on that subject while he was training me.

Speaking of which, I was already informed that the Akatsuki taking action after three years since their last attempt by kidnapping and stealing the One-Tailed Beast from Gaara, the current Kazekage. It made me sick to my stomach when Kabuto told me the news because my eldest sibling and his partner—the one I couldn't stand to look at, Kisame Hoshigaki—attempted to kidnap Naruto to obtain the Nine-Tails from him. This news also reached to Sasuke and he went a _bit_ mad as he attacked Itachi without really thinking straight which ended miserably for him since he didn't hit a single blow. Luckily, before he got himself killed I saved him and everyone in the hotel Naruto and Jiraiya were staying at the time. I wasn't able to stop Itachi by injuring him as I too surrendered to his damned genjutsu which knocked me out for a while. So the fact that they went ahead and did the same to Gaara and succeeded really bothered me; they literally had no shame nor remorse.

I wondered how Naruto felt about all of this.

Luckily Gaara was brought back to life by a Sand Elder who used a reanimation ninjutsu to save him with the cost of her own life. It was both a touching and sad ending but it was happy nonetheless.

"Did they assign someone to replace me?" I asked him curiously, wanting to know if the participate had a bit of the same potential as my own.

Kabuto slowly shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I highly doubt it though. If I remembered correctly, you weren't really a member of Squad 7 like Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura; you were more like an assistant mentor for Kakashi." He answered doubtfully.

That was true. When we were assigned to our squads in the Academy, I was the only one left that wasn't put into the team. The Hokage requested a visit and he told me that my skills far surpassed all chunin and genin and half of the jonin in the village,—which was sort of true—and he offered me other positions rather than being assigned to a squad. I turned down the Anbu because I knew how much time, stress, and energy that had to be put into in that sort of position; I barely saw Itachi when he was in Anbu and it made me worried and curious as to what he was doing when he was out. Realizing that none of the offers interested me, he just told me to keep on being Head Medic of the Leaf Hospital while being Kakashi's assisting mentor to which I accepted. Since then, I enjoyed it very much and I continued to see myself doing it if I didn't flee the village.

Overall, the fact that they didn't replace me didn't bother me nor did it made any huge of a difference to me.

Kabuto knew I wasn't mentally here with him as he placed his free hand on my knee firmly while his thumb rubbed my skin on my knee. It was kind of him of not disturbing me from my deep thoughts and knowing that I needed time to process my feelings.

"You're not going to hurt them… will you?" I hesitantly asked in a soft tone, scared but prepared to hear the worst.

The medic-nin didn't answer me instantly, but it didn't take him a while to give me one either.

"If things get tough, I can't guarantee that and you know this as much as I do." He replied bluntly, grasping my knee tightly to show he meant it in a sensitive but honest sense.

I nodded weakly at his words; I understood completely. Especially since the wounds on Naruto and Sakura were still fresh by Sasuke and myself when we fled the village. Not only that, there was a good chance that the tailed-beast within the blonde could go out of control, resulting everyone in the area dead. So considering how both Kabuto and Orochimaru would use self-defence to protect themselves, I had no right to stop them. However what didn't sit too well with me was the thought of them pulling the first move to kill them; it made me feel even guiltier. My grey haired partner was aware of my guilt for leaving and that there was so much unnecessary weight on my shoulders; he was very careful and sensitive about this and tried whatever he could to ease it, which I appreciated a lot.

"For you… I will not attempt to kill them because I know how much you care about them and how bad you must feel for what you've put them through." He promised gently, removing a strand of hair from my face. "And I'll do my best to make sure Lord Orochimaru will do the same. But you have to promise me to stop feeling bad for something you had no control over of."

I gave him a small nod as my pupils stared directly at my hands clasping onto his right hand, admiring how soft but strong the limb was.

"Just don't do anything harsh and try not to provoke them. Other than that, you may do as you please." I told him in a slur.

"Of course…" He breathed.

Kabuto then got off of the table and immediately grabbed ahold of me and took me off of the table too. He still had me in his strong arms as he held me tightly around my slim figure once my feet touched the floor. I didn't mind this gesture as I rested my hands on his shoulders. One of them subconsciously started to fondle up and down his manly-built chest, meanwhile my eyes were gazing into the dark pools in his soft eyes that were gazing back. I gave his nose a soft peck, sneaking the fact that his hold on me was blissful.

"Does Sasuke know any of this?" I asked him meekly, looking up at him curiously.

"I don't think so." He answered lightly, placing a kiss on my forehead. "However, I'm pretty sure Lord Orochimaru will keep it a secret from him, just to be safe."

I huffed heavily as I plopped my forehead against his as our lips were positioned not even an inch away. His breath respired on my lips, causing me to both warm up and get the quivers.

"Knowing Sasuke, he'll probably won't even bat an eye about it; he simply doesn't care about anything except for power and revenge." I commented vaguely as my hand around his neck gently clawed the back of it.

The grey haired male smiled lightly at my comment then he leaned in to kiss my lips affectionately which I naturally responded to because his kisses were too difficult to turn down. It wasn't as heated as our previous kisses but it was still something that I savoured. The only thing that was heated about it was when Kabuto slipped his hands underneath the shirt I was wearing, feeling and caressing the back of my torso with desperation as he continued to slowly but deeply capture my lips with his. Since I was borrowing and currently wearing one of his shirts, it was twice my size so it made it easier for his hungry hands to feel almost every part of me under the piece of clothing.

"God, you're so hot…" He exhaled heatedly between our locked lips.

I pulled away, taking a breather as he did the same. He rested his forehead on mine as his hands were still under the shirt, clutching as they rubbed against my skin. The fact that Kabuto knew exactly what he was doing while touching me was still never clear to me because I was the first person he fell for, if I remembered correctly.

"I still don't get how you're so good at this sort of stuff… when this is your first time ever in a relationship…" I thought aloud in curiosity, staring into his eyes.

Kabuto smirked at me as he placed a soft kiss on my lips. He pulled back while still having that smirk he always seemed to put on to look more dominant in any situation.

"Well, it's not like I was clueless or anything." He replied slyly. "Let's just say… I was waiting for the right person…"

Hearing his reply made me anxious for variety of reasons. Mostly, it was because in my mind, he hinted that he wanted to touch me in an intimate way for a while before he actually did. The thought of that was both enticing and nerve-wracking.

"How long will you be out for?" I then asked, once again changing the subject.

"At least till later today. Tomorrow, the latest…" He briefly answered, to which I sighed.

"Well, you should be heading out now. The snake's probably waiting for you. So, I suggest you leave now." I suggested dully.

Kabuto frowned. "And _I_ suggest you stop calling Lord Orochimaru a 'snake'; it's becoming a habit of yours."

I shrugged his suggestion. "Well, he literally _is_ a snake, so I don't know what you want me to do, to be honest." I pointed out flatly.

The medic-nin giggled lowly at my words and placed a firm, passionate kiss on my lips one final time. I made sure to make the most of it before he released his grip on my and started heading towards the door.

"Make sure you behave well while we're gone. And be sure to not break anything." He prompted mockingly, looking over his shoulder at me with the light reflecting off his lenses; this resulted me unable to visibly see his eyes.

I scoffed at him. "Just shut up and leave already. I don't need you to nag like I'm a child…" I softly snapped, sharpening my stare.

Kabuto smirked at my defense one last time then he exited the room, leaving me in the examination room alone once again. I exhaled heavily and went back to quickly finish up whatever was left that needed to be done. As I did so, my mind went on its own and started piling itself with thoughts about the mission that Squad 7 was supposedly involved in. It raised a few questions about the whole thing when I looked at it, but that would result me having more questions than answers and that sort of thing really bugged me. I guess I had to wait and see.

' _I wonder if I would be able to see them for myself…'_ I questioned myself in thought, really curious about how much they had all grown since the last time.

What I was also intrigued of was knowing if they had grown stronger and improved in their abilities as much as Sasuke and myself. Because in my opinion, that would determine if whether or not they had a chance of _ever_ bringing us back home to the Leaf Village.

* * *

 **That wraps Chapter 14 guys. Hope you guys enjoyed it because the next few will be interesting.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Back at it again with another chapter! Enjoy, fellow fanfic readers! This is sort of a filler chapter. Sorry about that but i hope you enjoy nonetheless!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Cooking Up Stubbornness**

I finally completed whatever I was assigned to do in the medical examination room, and I was currently in the kitchen, making a well-deserved snack for my hard work lately. And what better way to celebrate than baked goods?

Nothing. Nothing could compare.

For the longest time, I loved to bake ever since I was a child. Since I was basically neglected and shunned from my whole clan—including my own father—I had grown a strong bond with my mother because she was the only person—besides my brothers at the time—who loved me dearly as her precious child. She taught me how to cook delicious food and bake amazing desserts, including her special ingredients. Since then, I carried everything she had taught me and before I knew it, cooking as a whole was both one of my favourite hobbies and one of my excelled talents.

Now that I thought about it, I noticed that I had a lot of talents I obtained since childhood including gymnastics, acro, cooking, poetry, and a bit of dancing. The main reason why I had these talents was because the fact that I went through a lot during my childhood. No one seemed to care about me and didn't see me as an equal, never mind an Uchiha. My clan looked down at me like I was worthless and even my father thought I was a "mistake" to which I believed them at one point because everyone around me said so. It was because of this, I went through severe depression and had scary thoughts that shouldn't be present for a child. Every night, I had nightmares of the Uchiha clan hunting me down to kill me and how they would brutally beat me to death until I was a bloody mess. No one in my own family cared nor loved me; they were my enemies that shared the same flesh and blood as me. My father—who was chief of the entire family and the Leaf's Police Force—literally disowned me as he and I lived in the same household like we were living different parts of the world.

But not every single member was like this towards me. Mikoto Uchiha—my mother—loved me the second I was born, at least that was what she claimed. She treated me like how every other mother treat their child—with love, care, compassion, and support. At the beginning, Sasuke and I never gotten along; we used to constantly fight for the dumbest stuff, looking back. However, he never _hated_ me like the rest of our clan; his distaste for me was simply because I was his "annoying" little sister who got on his nerves. Sasuke eventually learned about my suffering and immediately started being more considerate and caring towards me; it came to the point where he became protective of me as he watched my back for me even to this day. There was also Shisui Uchiha, who I vaguely remembered as a child only because I saw him once or twice. I wasn't certain if he cared nor he saw that I actually had potential, unlike the Uchiha boneheads that I was unfortunately related to. I heard that he fully supported me, respected me of how strong I was as a child; he believed that I would become a powerful ninja than the whole clan.

Then there was Itachi.

If you wanted to know my personal take on Itachi Uchiha, it would be hard to understand. For starters, he was more of a father to me than my biological father since I was a baby; he looked after me and set aside almost everything just to take care of me when mother was busy. As the years went by, he became my personal mentor as he threw the most hard-core training I had ever received to say the least to me… when I was a frickin' five-year-old. But because of the extensive training at a very young age, it made me an exceptional kunoichi as I was seen as 'Itachi Uchiha's only exceptional and talented protégé and prodigy'. This was a big deal to me because not only he was my brother, father, and mentor… he was legitimately my personal _hero_. He saved me from acting out and becoming a bum on the streets. I suffered from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks since I was little because the things I went through was literally traumatizing for someone at my age and Itachi was the only person who calmed me down every time I acted out in a way that was 'abnormal'.

I still remembered to this day what he prescribed to me when I was young.

" _I don't know what to do, big brother. I want the pain to go away, but I don't know how." I told him in a begging voice, desperate for a cure._

 _Itachi had a sad smile on his face and held me close to him as I shook in his arms._

" _Well, you should take your mind off of the things that frighten you and triggers your unbalanced mentality." He suggested thoughtfully, looking kindly down at me._

 _I looked up from his chest as I gave him a confused look._

" _Why don't you get into something that gains your interests?" He prompted encouragingly as his smile widened. "That way, you won't pay so much attention to all the negatives that are causing you distress."_

 _I cocked an eyebrow at his proposal. "Are you sure that'll work?"_

 _Itachi nodded. "Plus, those hobbies could help with your training and enhance your abilities." He added, assuring his suggestion would do the trick._

" _I guess it's worth a shot." I shrugged, wiping away the tears that were trying to fall._

 ***End of Flashback***

Itachi was right; it did improve my mental distress as it kept me busy from all the hate I was getting. Though some critics within the clan insulted me for "wasting my time on these things that were pointless if it doesn't change the fact that she was a mistake to society and the entire clan". It still pained me but I had no time to deal with the stress because my mind was on other things. I was driven to prove every single doubter wrong by becoming the first female leader of the Uchiha clan. Unfortunately, that dream died when every single member of our clan was murdered by Itachi Uchiha himself.

The fact that he slaughtered our whole family wasn't what broke my heart. It did hurt because I never wanted anyone to experience death, even if they deserved to die. It was something deeper than that, and it was because of _that_ that I despised my eldest brother ever since.

Was I thankful for Itachi for raising me? Yes, absolutely. Did he saved me from self-harming and suicide? Yes. Would I have been long dead if it weren't for him? Of course. Did I respected him as much as I did in the past? Sure, I guess. Could I forgive him for butchering our entire clan? I wasn't really _enraged_ nor _heartbroken_ in the first place, so that wasn't decided yet. Do I still carry hatred for the man? Yes, because he was nothing more than a psychopathic, heartless, cold hypocrite for what he had done that was _much_ more personal. Do I want to take out my revenge on him like Sasuke? No, I honestly don't.

Despite on _whatever_ Itachi had done to everyone I could think of, I strongly believed that I shouldn't waste my breath on him; I wanted to move on with my life because I was still growing as an individual. If the opportunity presented in front of my without any of my effort, then sure. But until then, he was pointless to me. Besides, Sasuke should do the honors since the Uchiha clan massacre was much more personal to him than it was to me. Plus, he called dibs.

I had to respect it, and that was what I was doing.

When my mind ceased of thinking about my past, hoping that I would never had to look back again. The past was the past for a reason, and I wanted it to be kept that way.

I just placed the brownie batter in the oven as I quickly cleaned the vast kitchen island to prepare the goods. When I first settled in Orochimaru's lairs, there were a lot of things it had that was unexpected. Firstly, the damn long, dark, gloomy hallways. Secondly, the public rooms were neat and spacious but also kind of comfortable like this kitchen I was currently in. It was big enough to cook five different dishes at the same time, sometimes even more. I took advantage of this: there were four baked goods currently in the oven baking in their requested individual temperature and time, five different dishes sizzling and boiling on the stove, and a blender that was breaking down the contents within.

I was so consumed over the cooking and dancing as I did my own thing, I was so oblivious to the fact that someone besides me were present in the room until I turned around. When I saw another person in the kitchen eyeing me oddly, I almost dropped whatever I had in my hands. I exhaled loudly, realizing who it was as I placed the objects on the island table.

"Sasuke, you scared the living s**t out of me." I complained as I glanced at my brother.

Said male remained standing there with that stoic look on his face, unfazed by anything I was doing before entering the kitchen. He blinked at me a few times then he let out his signature grunt.

"How many times did I tell you to watch your language?" He questioned monotonously, sounding a bit irritated by my use of words.

Sasuke never liked my habit of cussing, and always reminded me to stop. But it was easier said than done because telling me to stop cussing was like telling an addict to stop taking anymore drugs. On my defense though, I only started cussing when I was a child and I would be hanging around the ghetto, hood villages that were outside the Hidden Leaf. When Itachi was out for long-term errands and my family was giving me such a hard time, I would throw a tantrum and run away from home countless of times and headed towards those villages where I sort of befriended some other kids who they too ran away from home. I vividly remembered hearing all sorts of dirty, nasty, and sinful things people said left and right to the point where I got accustomed to it and started repeating those words myself. Itachi knew my newly-found habit of running away and would always bring me back home safely. He too wasn't a huge fan of my use of words and kept telling me to stop before I got punished by the clan. The warning really meant nothing to me because they had already punished me for no damn reason; what else was new?

Back to the point, Sasuke knew it wasn't entirely my fault for cussing and I had been improving since I was twelve because my big mouth would always get my butt into trouble by Kakashi. Yes, the same Kakashi that read f**kin' porn right in front of twelve-year-olds; again, what else was new? But regardless of my innocence, my brother believed that "it wasn't a trait that the Uchiha had" and that I should learn to keep certain things to myself.

You know what other trait they don't have? Having a goal to kill a fellow clansman.

"My bad. That just slipped…" I sighed apologetically; I didn't really that sorry because I didn't want to put my brother in a bad mood.

Sasuke grunted at my apology and walked over to the dining table as he seated himself comfortably. I continued to monitor the food cooking on the stove as I briefly checked the oven, seeing if the baked goods were cooking properly. The raven on the table watched carefully as I stirred what was in the pot with a blank look on his face.

"What's the occasion?" He bluntly asked.

I placed the lid on the pot along with the wooden spoon then glanced over at Sasuke, who rested his cheek in his hand as he placed a bit of weigh on his elbow.

"There isn't really an occasion." I answered simply, dusting the flour off of the oversized shirt I was still wearing. "I just had the urge to cook and bake goods for everyone in the hideout."

"I see no point to that." He stated straight-forwardly.

I was so used to Sasuke being stubborn, and it was one of the reasons why I loved him. But sometimes, his stubbornness could irritate me once in a while and he knew that which made it even more annoying.

I rolled my eyes at him. "It's called 'being generous', Sasuke. Understand?"

Sasuke rested his eyelids. "Completely. But it looks to me that you're trying to make new friends in the lair. That seems desperate, even for you…" He slyly implied.

I raised my eyebrows at his assumption because he was implying that I was _desperate_ to make new friends. True, it was lonely living in the depths of darkness and nothingness and there was barely anything to do without getting punished or even bored all over again. But I wasn't in desperate need of friends because I could make time for myself and wouldn't mind at all. Plus, I was with Kabuto now and his company lighted up my day. Sasuke implying that I was "desperate" didn't sit too well with me, especially if it was coming from one of the very rare few who knew me very well for a long time.

"Well, can you really blame me?" I scoffed defensively, folding my arms. "Even if that's true—which isn't at all—it doesn't hurt anyone doing something nice for others and getting to know them; it takes their minds off of the fact they would probably never see the light of day ever again."

I silently moved towards the island table and started chopping up some vegetables to make a salad bowl. As I was ripping pieces of lettuce and placing it in the large bowl, Sasuke suddenly parted his lips to speak.

"But in your case, there's no need to talk and befriend anyone in this dark place." He analysed lowly as his words paused me from ripping another piece of lettuce. "If you _really_ wanted company, you can simply come to me… I honestly have no problem with that."

I continued to fill the bowl with individual lettuce leaves as I tried to create a response to say to him.

"Funny you say that, _bro_." I sarcastically mused, placing a sly grin on my face. "It's not as 'simple' as you say it is because the only thing on your mind is literally power and getting your revenge on our brother. You're so wrapped up on your ambitions that it's hard to come up to you and talk about something else."

Hearing this made Sasuke drop his hand from his cheek as he adjusted his seat to make himself more comfortable. I knew he was intrigued because he does this thing where he gave people a long look, urging them to speak.

"I'm not blaming you or anything. I'm just trying to make you realize that you're not really there when I really n _eeded_ you but failed on me. And it's especially hard if I literally live in the dark with nothing to do and unable to go outside whenever I please. I completely understand your perspective of everything, but you don't understand mine so you going off by saying that I'm 'desperate' of having friends is inconsiderate." I explained to him with a straight face, but you could hear the hurt in my tone.

Sasuke sat there frozen, still having that stoic look on his face.

"You of all people know e _xactly_ what I've been through, and yet you did what everyone else in the clan did: ignored and shunned me, making me feel all alone and worthless." I huffed in frustration as I picked up the lettuce and placing it in the sink.

"What I've 'done' can't remotely compare to what our clan has done to you." He commented firmly, the first time I heard any emotion in his tone. "Besides, I'm trying to figure out what your point is."

I huffed loudly at his stubbornness once again. "My point is that you're being selfish and self-consumed. Not to mention the fact that you forced me to flee the village with you then changed into someone I had never seen before, then decided to push me away, pretending that I don't exist. You said it yourself that fleeing the village will benefit the both of us… when in actuality, it's only benefited you and not me." I answered strongly as I turned on the sink, rinsing the dirt off of the lettuce.

I hoped that with the sink on, it would tune out a bit of Sasuke voice. It was then I forgot that I was an unlucky person.

"I didn't force you to flee the Leaf, Katsumi." He countered as his eyebrows microscopically twitched at my argument. "You had an option to do so or not."

"The only option you gave me was to leave and join Orochimaru; I had no choice but to do it." I opposed flatly. "On top of that, you took advantage of my care and love for you as a little sister so I could run away from home with you. It's your job as my big brother to protect and guide me, not use me for your bidding and benefit."

After hearing this, Sasuke threw me a strong glare at my direction. I wasn't intimidated nor nervous by it; at this point, I had gotten used to him and his salty behaviour.

"You're overacting, Katsumi. You should watch what you say because there might be no truth behind it all." He warned me threateningly as the tension in the room we were in grew immensely.

I instantly stopped organizing the dishes after I heard his threat. I dropped whatever I held and threw him an offended but sour glare, disliking the fact he was accusing me for saying nonsense.

"And what is it I'm saying that has no _truth_ behind it?" I questioned coldly, demanding to know what he had to say before he regretted ever for threatening me.

"You claimed that I didn't protect nor guide you… when at the same time… I _threatened_ the lives of both Kabuto and Orochimaru if they remotely try to harm you in anyway. Am I wrong?" He told me, pressuring me to say either the right or wrong thing to him to which I decided to remain quiet.

"Not only that, did you or did you not obtain so _much_ power that you could only imagine having it if you stayed in the Leaf?" He inquired in a harder tone, sounding more and more like he was threatening me.

I tuned him out as I placed each platter on a food cart. As I placed each dish, I could feel my brother's livid, deadly, venomous glare staring directly at me. Sasuke hated when I ignored him or tried to pretend I wasn't listening to him.

"Unlike you, 'power' isn't the only thing I care about… in fact, it's one of the last of my priorities." I countered exasperatedly. "You would've known that if you weren't so narrow-minded."

"I'm not narrow-minded… I'm simply focused on my goal that nothing is going to stand in my way…" He defended monotonously.

"Then, let me ask you this, _big brother_." I purposed hardly, testing my hypothesis. "If push comes to shove, would you chose _revenge_ or your _sister_?"

Sasuke fell dead silent when I asked him a hard-hitting question. I knew there was a chance in regretting asking even though it could end up hurting both him and myself. But I wanted to prove my point and his stubbornness really pushed me in asking the question. All I wanted was for him to realize what he was really doing that was affecting me. Said person parted his lips to speak and my ears were ready to hear the worst or the unexpected.

"It's unfair of you to ask me such a question, Katsumi." He critiqued stoically, furrowing his eyebrows at me.

I frowned at his response. "Will you stop being so stubborn for once? Just answer the question."

"I refuse to answer the question." He declined dully. "The options you gave me are inconsiderate since you expect me to choose one or the other."

"Like how you did the same to me three years ago, implying that you can do such a thing but not me?" I questioned rhetorically, holding back the urge to cuss him out.

Sasuke fell into silence once again, feeling as though there was no point in speaking if I "don't listen to reason". It was sad how stubborn he was, it made me want to cry for his misfortune. I just placed the last platter of food on the cart and I turned around to face my brother with a hard look on my face.

"It doesn't matter anyway… now that I _know_ what's more important to you." I huffed tiredly, not wanting to speak or even look at my brother at the moment since he secretly hurt me in a way he had never hurt me before.

"You shouldn't blame me when you're the one who's jumping to conclusions." He said blankly, not realizing the problem at all.

I had never pegged Sasuke as the oblivious one until now; he literally saw nothing wrong with what he was doing. He, instead, was blaming me for being sensitive and believing things that weren't true or taken out of proportion. He was so narrow-minded and literally a psychopathic jerk, it made me want to scream at his face. But I had to compose myself and try to act like nothing was wrong.

"Clearly, you being _yourself_ makes it almost impossible for you to see my perspective in all this. Plus, you being so narrow-minded you're not even sensitive to my feelings…" I exhaled roughly, literally giving up on this conversation. "So I'm not going to waste any more time on you if you're not going to listen to what I have to say…"

I ended it all off by placing a dish of food in front of Sasuke, to which he frowned at this sudden kind gesture of mine. As I walked over towards the cart carrying all of the other dishes, I could feel his eyes examining my movements and motives behind them; it was irritating because it was as if he was stalking me and I hated that feeling.

"You get talkative when you're hungry, so I figured you want to eat." I told him expressionlessly as I pushed the cart towards the kitchen door.

Sasuke's eyes followed me until I exited the kitchen. I knew he was going to eat the food I laid out for him because he loved my cooking. Wouldn't blame him, to be honest.

Anyways, this had been the first time I butted heads with Sasuke for a long time and I felt numb about it. I didn't really felt bad nor regretted any word I said to him. Even when I asked him if he would choose either me or revenge because for one, I wanted to prove my point, and two, he was being so narrow-minded that I had to do something to make him at least see my point of view. I had never thought I would act the way I did towards my brother, but for some reason, I did. And to be completely honest, I couldn't care less of how he thought nor felt about me after what I said to him; I simply didn't care anymore.

Looking back, I felt the need to thank Kabuto because he was the one who pushed me to not care about my brother's thoughts and feelings if they were getting in the way of my own. He told me to speak my mind and that I shouldn't be his good little sister that he always seemed to take advantage of. I knew this was hypocritical of him to say such things, but regardless of that, I wouldn't have ever stand up for myself like I did earlier if it weren't for him motivating me.

The fact that I could count on him for being there for me, and the fact that he would support and motivate me to do what I wanted to do… made me feel secured and loved. I wasn't too sure if relying on Kabuto more than Sasuke was a good or bad thing for many reasons. On one hand, Sasuke was my brother that I lived with throughout my whole life and was always there with him since the very beginning; he was smug and cocky but he was also protective and kind towards me. But on the other hand, Kabuto genuinely loved and cared about me and made sure I was happy and felt safe; he would do anything to make sure I was comfortable around anything. Plus, he remained being himself as he was changing into a better person.

Both Kabuto and Sasuke changed me in a way that no one else could. They both wanted what was best for me but had something that didn't sit well with me; revenge and being someone's subordinate. Regardless, it didn't change the fact that they cared deeply for me as I do the same. However, they _disliked_ each other for unknown reasons and that could be dangerous for me. Now that I was with Kabuto, it was only a matter a time until Sasuke figured out that he was dating his sister which he would obviously disapprove because he was Sasuke. Then one would kill the other and whatever would happen to me… would vary.

Before, I was anxious and nervous that at some point, I would get busted by Sasuke and Kabuto would have to face the music because of me and not being careful. But now, I felt that being just as stubborn as my brother and speaking my mind the way I did in the kitchen made me feel better. The fact that I didn't consider his feelings and defended only my feelings made me feel lighter and stronger. So now, caring about his feelings in me dating Kabuto didn't scare me anymore. What _did_ scared me was the possibility of him attacking my partner for the kill. That was the only thing that held me back; if Kabuto were to be brutally punished for my actions, I don't think I could live with the guilt.

Now that I knew where Sasuke and I stood, I knew that standing by my brother's side was basically futile. I also knew that I had only Kabuto by my side, so I felt the need to cherish that. It was sad how it came to this… but I felt no regret whatsoever.

Maybe it was for the better, or maybe _I_ was being selfish.

* * *

 **And thus concludes Chapter 15. Sorry it was more like a filler chapter, but due to time and energy, it's getting hard organizing the storyline in the last minute. But I'm still pulling through. I promise that the next few chapters are going to be good.**

 **To those who are celebrating the winter break, cherish that because you'll regret it when you go back to school!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Just gonna cut to the chase. Here's Chapter 16!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: The Unexpected Update (Part 1)**

I used the spare key to the prison room located deep in the lair to let myself into the cells where the prisoners/experiments were held captive. I wasn't supposed to have a key to this room to begin with because Orochimaru "forbid" me. But despite this, Kabuto gave me a spare key just in case. Once I unlocked the huge titanium door, I entered the room with the cart that carried all of the food and baked goods I made for the prisoners.

Since there was no denying their end was near, they at least deserved something so they wouldn't feel as miserable.

I halted my footsteps in front of one of the cells that contained about twenty prisoners looking either dead or hopeless. They didn't even bother looking at me since they were stuck for God knows how long; probably even before I settled in. One of the prisoners eventually took notice at my presence and threw me an ugly, hateful glare. Couldn't blame him; I too would hate every single bloody person who walked past me if I was jailed in with a bunch of other people.

"What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here, SKANK!?" He spat lividly with the urge to kill me if he could.

His use of tone caused many other prisoners to move their attention towards me. Half of them were taken back by my presence while the other half couldn't give any sort of damn since it was empty during their captivity. However that didn't bother me. What _did_ bothered be was being called a _skank_ ; it wasn't who I was nor I liked the name to begin with.

I threw him an intimidating glare. "You watch your mouth, bastard… or else I'm going to punish you with imaginable pain and hell, it'll make this place like heaven." I threatened venomously as I activated my Sharingan to show just how serious I was being.

Once he saw my inherited crimson eyes, his face fell into a regretful and frightened look. Meanwhile everyone else in the cell looked just as intimated and scared as the idiot who decided it was smart to insult me. I huffed out my anger and pulled out a key ring that contained all of the cell keys in the room. The prisoners watch in shock as I unlocked the cell and opened the cell door. I saw the look of disbelief and hope on their faces, thinking that they were finally able to leave the darkness and be free from any boundaries. Sadly for them, they were getting their hopes up too high to my liking.

"Sorry suckers, but it's not what it looks like; I'm not letting you go." I announced straight-forwardly, instantly seeing the despair on their faces. "Even if I did, you know Orochimaru won't let you get away. Plus, I would have to face harsh consequences for defying him."

"Then why are you _here_ in the first place? To _mock_ us?" Another prisoner seethed at me, showing his aggression in his eyes.

I blinked at his question and blanked replied, "Believe me, doing that is tempting by the sounds of it. But unlike the people working for the snake and himself, I have some heart and compassion."

The rest of the prisoners who weren't paying attention to me glanced at me with confusion. All of them waited for me to give them a more specific answer. To this, I slipped out of the cell and returned with the food cart. All of the prisoners studied the cart in my grasp curiously, getting even more confused than before as the urge to know my motives grew. I sighed at the curious looks they were throwing at me, making me both uncomfortable and annoyed.

"I made you some grub and desserts because it's obvious to me that all of you barely eat, never mind something _good_. Plus I had spare time, so I thought I might as well make you all something good for you to enjoy at least a little bit." I told them simply as I regarded my eyes towards the well-organized plates on the cart.

After hearing my explanation, they were in shock once again; they were surprised by the fact that there was actually _someone_ in the lair that was remotely nice, let alone generous. Again, I couldn't blame them since I would think the same way.

"So, you're telling us that you prepared us a full course meal out of kindness?" One of the prisoners questioned skeptically.

I nodded. "Yes. You guys have already been through enough and doing this is the least I can do."

Most of the prisoners sighed happily and in relief while the others smiled brightly though they still had a dull look on their faces from misery. But there were a select few that were doubtful about my kind gesture as they examined hardly at me and at the food cart by my side.

"You idiots are so easily absorbed by this, are you? It just shows how desperate you are." One of the skeptics hissed in irritation as all heads were turned to him.

"What you even talking about?" One of the prisoners who were relieved questioned hardly, annoyed that he was ruining the joy.

"It's common sense, fool." He snapped angrily, then glared over towards me. "How do _we_ know exactly if she really _is_ being nice and generous? If anything, she could've been sent here by Orochimaru to poison us or something."

Hearing his analysis made everyone who was excited for the food nervous or traumatized. Then, all of their heads turned my way as they showed the look of betrayal, disgust, or hurt in their eyes. I honestly felt bad for these men; their spirit and pride had been crushed and extinguished long ago to the point where they were living, empty shells. They would either believe in everything or doubt anything; it was literally sad considering what they had went through.

"That is unlikely because both Orochimaru and Kabuto left on a high-rank mission earlier today; it would've been close to impossible for him to make me poison you guys, especially if there was no good reason behind it." I opposed thoughtfully, deactivating my Sharingan. "Besides, I refuse to follow any of the snake's orders that involve around hurting innocent people."

I was very good at reasoning with others and this was no exception as almost every single prisoner sighed once again in relief, feeling secured that nothing bad would happen to them. Meanwhile, the doubters still remained silent as their eyes studied me, still not completely convinced of my actions.

I slumped my shoulders. "Listen, I'm not forcing you to eat; that is completely up to you. All I'm trying to do is to be generous and not hurt you in any way. It's your choice to starve yourselves to death while the others enjoyed the food."

I left it at that as I started handing each dish to each hungry prisoner who gracious took it out of my hands. Those who already received their food devoured their plates as I continued to give out the dishes. The skeptics watched as the others went ham on their food, raising their temptation. Knowing they were going to cave in, I handed them their plates and hesitantly took it and ate slowly. Once the taste settled in their mouths, they too started munching hungrily at the food. I watched as their chomping and chewing echoed within the room. Good thing I made extra food for them since I knew they were starving. I turned towards the cart and picked up two large containers and placed it on the ground, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.

"These containers contain baked goods I made for you all after your meal." I explained. "They are meant to last for at least a week."

All of their faces beamed with joy when they heard there was also dessert. I had a fetish of making people feel good and better in a bad situation because I had empathy for them in those areas. I wished that I had someone who knew what I went through so I could feel that I truly belong. These prisoners had no one but themselves and they went through the same thing together; I just wished they got along to make their circumstances easier.

I went ahead and placed two more containers and two big pots on the ground which raised some eyebrows as half of them had their faces filled with food.

"Inside these are extras. I'm pretty sure they will last for about a week too if your proportions are wise. If you run out, I'll make more for you if I have the chance since Orochimaru doesn't know I'm doing this nor I'm certain if I'm even _allowed_ to." I briefly explained to them, rolling my shoulders.

They all gasped or breathed incredulous as if Orochimaru was standing right behind me. I raised an eyebrow at their odd reaction; why were they acting so weird all of a sudden?

"So, you're doing this behind Lord Orochimaru's back?" One prisoner inquired in shock, lowering his plate. "Do you have any _idea_ what you're getting yourself into?"

"He's right." Another prisoner pitched in. "There's no doubt that he'll make you suffer until your death the second he figures out what you're doing to help _us_."

"I honestly don't see what the big—."

"You're giving us _hope_." A third prisoner cut me off. "The reason why Orochimaru tortured us mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically because he wanted us to lose the dream of ever living a normal life. That way, we'll willing do what he says because we're _that_ broken within. You being kind to us and doing this gesture will give us some humanity back which he despised because we would end up 'defying' him."

I thought about the male's words as I saw some truth behind it. It made sense in a way, but at the same time, it was stupid to worry such a thing since the damage was already done and literally nothing could fix it.

"Plus, you'll get yourself killed too." A fourth prisoner pointed out lowly, sounding a bit worried.

I let out a smug chuckle which caught everyone in the cell off guard.

"Remember, I'm the vessel's younger sister." I smirked proudly, earning gaped looks from everyone. "Meaning, unless he wants the vessel for himself, Orochimaru is not allowed to harm me. Plus, I can defend myself so there shouldn't be a huge problem."

They all blinked at me blankly, not knowing how to react.

"So I'll be fine. As far as you guys go, he'll never know unless you say anything." I assured in bore.

The second each prisoner relaxed, they went back to eating whatever was on their plate. I was curious if what I made for them tasted good in their point of view; I wasn't doubting my cooking, I was curious if they knew what it tasted like since they hadn't eaten for so long. It was probably the fact that they hadn't eaten was the reason why they devoured the food. Nonetheless, I was satisfied that they enjoyed their meal.

"My job here is done, so I should probably get out of here before someone notices." I exhaled loudly then turned towards the cell door.

As I locked the cell, all of the prisoners faced me and bowed their heads. This was awkward because no one had ever bowed nor showed any formal respect until now, so I wasn't sure how I should react or what to say.

"Bless your soul, young one. May only good things happen to you for your kindness…" One prisoner exclaimed in worship.

I stood outside of the cell, blinking in shock at every single person trapped in there. Regardless, I was honored that I gained their respect and became something that gave them a bit of their humanity back.

"Just keep this secret between us, and the food will keep on coming…" I scolded lightly, placing my hands on my hips.

" _Yes, of course~!_ " They agreed in unison, giving me sad but grateful smiles.

I returned a small smile back and quickly removed myself along with the food cart from the cell room. I went back to the kitchen and washed all of the dirty pots, pans, trays, and other stuff I used to cook and bake so I wouldn't get in trouble for making a mess. Once the kitchen was spotless by my doing, I quickly made my way back to my bedroom. Since getting close to Kabuto, he helped and assisted me in knowing my way around the long hallways of the lair. Thanks to him, I knew how to get around quicker and easier with barely any difficulties.

Once I shut my bedroom door, I stepped in front of my full-view mirror and examined my identical copy that looked directly at me. I still wore Kabuto's shirt that he let me borrowed earlier which was now covered in food stains and flour from all the kitchen work. Speaking of which, how come Sasuke didn't questioned or even _noticed_ that I was wearing a male's shirt? He probably thought that I was borrowing one of his shirts and didn't really cared if I did so since I had always done that since we were children. Still, the fact that he wasn't suspicious or curious the slightest made me question his intelligence and senses a bit.

Huh, _more powerful_ , my ass.

I took a quick shower and then I went ahead to hand-wash Kabuto's shirt then hung it on the shower curtain rod to let it dry. I put on my regular ninja outfit I always wore and then I removed the towel that was wrapped firmly around my head. I gently combed my hair with a wide-tooth comb to remove any tangles that I missed as I applied the leave-in conditioner/hair removal on my hair while it was still damp. It was the same hair product that Kabuto used when my brush got really tangled in my hair to prevent any damage whatsoever.

The things the boy does for me doesn't cease to amaze me.

Once I was done refreshing myself, I sensed existences of other in the lair. Two of which was familiar to me, but there were three I sensed which raised my eyebrow. One I could immediately tell was Kabuto, meaning the second presence I sensed was most likely Orochimaru. But who was the third? More importantly, why were they here in the first place? Was it another experiment that the snake luckily picked out from his forbidden jutsu garden? Or was it a new henchmen of his? Normally, I wouldn't give two shits about who this person was but the fact that they were here without any warning nor notification from Orochimaru himself meant this stranger tagged along in the last second.

This was strange, but interesting at the same time. I was curious to know the details.

With that in thought, I hurried out of my room and followed the unknown presence in particular as it got stronger when I came closer to it. Before I knew it, I saw three dark figures down the hall standing there, not moving at all. They looked like they were having a discussing so I marched over towards them without scaring them. But before I physically encountered them, one instantly noticed me coming and gave me a memorable smirk like always.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Katsumi Uchiha…" He announced slyly as his smirk stretched. "Anything new lately…?"

I scoffed at his question. "You tell me, four eyes…" I sassed, folding my arms.

Since our intimate partnership started, we made it clear that we had to keep it a secret from everyone and anyone because it would make things way too complicated and ugly. With that deal in mind, we acted the way we did before we started our relationship so no one—not even Orochimaru—would suspect a thing. Good thing both Kabuto and I were really good at lying and acting because it made the plan go a lot smoother; there was no denying that we were a good team.

Anyway, as I was keeping my guard up on that thought, I couldn't help but study at the unknown character who stood in between Kabuto and Orochimaru. I knew it was rude to stare, but in the good name of Sage, he looked _exactly_ like Sasuke. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating but he physically reminded me of my older brother. His face structure, his dark eyes, and his stoic, dull look he had on his face, and the way he held himself together as a whole; they all reminded me of Sasuke. The only differences I could see right off the bat was his paper-white skin that the snake also had, his outfit of choice—don't know why he chose this—, and his hair which was a lot shorter and clean-cut compared to my brother. Despite this, he could've been Sasuke's long lost twin.

Now that I was thinking about Sasuke, it made me feel a bit down since the last time we had spoken, we left on not good terms. I knew I shouldn't feel bad, but I still felt guilt in some way.

"Who's the new guy?" I asked nonchalantly, cocking my head to the side a bit.

"His name is Sai…" Orochimaru answered cooingly with a devious smile. "We recruited him while we were out, and now he'll be working along you and Kabuto…"

As the snake explained, my eyes were literally glued to "Sai's" headband that resembled the Leaf Village. He came from the Leaf like Sasuke and I, but I had _never_ seen his face nor heard of his name ever. Why exactly? I mean, he didn't look like any other chunin—I presumed he was a chunin— because he looked special and had some special ninja art according to his chakra. He looked as if he hung with the Leaf genin squad that I used to be a part of. What I couldn't shake off of me was the fact that he was now working under Orochimaru all of a sudden. Again, _why_?

Speaking of "all of a sudden", the Sai character threw me a really kind smile that almost made me blush until I noticed that it looked forced. It sort of looked like he was physically and psychologically abused and that he had no emotions whatsoever anymore; he had no clue what to feel anymore. It was sad, especially coming from the Leaf because no one could ever be this broken living in a peaceful, free place like the Leaf.

"It's an honor to meet you, Miss Katsumi…" He smiled kindly as he stood there frozen, smiling daggers at me.

I don't know if he was being serious or not, but his smile was making me feel awkward and weird. Was I supposed to smile back? Was I supposed to dismiss it? Should I say something? Should I just tell him to stop being fake? I had no _clue_ what to say.

"No formalities, please. I'm not about all that…" I simply commented; it was basically the only thing I could say that wouldn't make it even more uncomfortable.

"If that's what you wish… _Katsumi…_ " He kindly replied, still throwing me the same smile.

I glanced over at Kabuto and glared coldly at him, blaming him for all of this through my eyes. His reaction was an amused grin as he playfully pushed up his glasses.

"He's something else, isn't he?" He smirked conceitedly.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that four eyes wasn't taking this matter as serious as I was. Correction, I was actually more _curious_ rather than serious about it because this was all linked to my birth village which I was—for some reason—drawn to. My onyx eyes laid their gaze on Orochimaru who smiled deceitfully at me, aware that I was curious about something that had to do with their new recruit.

"I can tell from his headband… that he's a ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village…" I thought aloud, staring hardly at the snake.

Orochimaru licked his lips in glee. "Yes, indeed he is. In fact, he's from your former genin team… Sasuke's replacement…"

"That makes no sense…" I cut in, furrowing my eyebrows. "How is it possible to get him when he's a part of Squad 7? And why is he joining your side all of a sudden?"

Orochimaru let out a dark chuckle, which made my body winced a bit.

"Oh, my young one… you are very curious today, are you?" He purred darkly as his golden eyes stared firmly at me. "To put it simply, the Nine-Tails Jinjuriki and Tsunade's protégé were sent on a mission to investigate my current motives while trying to bring both you and your brother back to the Leaf. After battling the jinjuriki, Sai secretly came to me and offered an alliance which I accepted…"

I was already aware of this mission because Kabuto told me about it before he left; I wanted to make sure if what he said was true. However, I knew for a fact that the snake was keeping significant details out of his answer, which made me even more curious than before. Plus, he _knew_ I was curious to know what happened and he used this to play with me out of mere fun.

"That still doesn't explain _why_ he came up to you undercover during his mission and offered an alliance with you. And how did you _know_ they were coming after you and when _exactly_ did you figure out? And _why_ were you fighting _only_ Naruto?" I questioned continuously, demanding an answer from the snake.

Orochimaru sighed heavily as he rotated his body and walked down the hallways. Sai and Kabuto followed suit as I stood there as my mind went blank. I shook my head and slid my feet quickly to catch up to them. Once I finally caught up to them, I waited for the snake to notice that I was following him and that he would eventually tell me what I wanted to know. When he didn't, my patience for him wore thin and I gritted my teeth to contain my frustration.

"Orochimaru…!" I grumbled lowly, watching my tone so I wouldn't get myself killed.

"Just because you ask a question doesn't mean you'll get an answer. I thought you know this, my dear…" He hummed in fake disappointment. "Besides, this has nothing to do with you; the details are classified information…"

I exhaled in frustration, discouraged that I wouldn't get any answers from the snake. At least I had Kabuto; interrogating him for answers was my backup plan.

"Is there something that I don't know I _should_ know of…?" I inquired suspiciously, mostly regarding this question to Kabuto.

Said medic-nin knew I was referring to him and he adjusted his glasses as he gave me a smug look. "You'll know at some point," was all he said and left it at that.

I sighed impatiently but dropped bringing it up all together. Kabuto was right, I would know at some point because he was going to _tell_ me the details himself. But this was the first time something unexpected and new happened in any of the snake's underground lairs, so I wanted to know _exactly_ what was going on.

The hallway we were currently on ended with an entrance to a vast, spacious room that displayed a big statue of a snake. I scanned the room and saw nothing new about it; it looked like any other room in the lair along with candles casting away most of the darkness, the dull colour of the room, and the gigantic space it took for no significant reason. I saw no reason as to why we were here in the first place. When Orochimaru wanted to go through some things with a "newbie", he would take him to his small, private office-like room and converse in there; that was what he did for me when I first arrived. But no, we were standing outside this big room, apparently waiting for something. And once I figured out what that something—or in this case, _someone_ —it made me feel more uncomfortable and unsteady.

There, sitting right in front of the snake statue on top of a case of stairs, was none other than Sasuke Uchiha who was staring stoically at us.

I wasn't sure if I should give him a specific look because the last time we had spoken, I left it on bad terms. That part was my doing, but the damn raven thought it was a smart move to say that my motives were "pointless". If he truly wanted to go into the topic of _pointless_ , I would immediately start throwing everything he had done that was _pointless_ ; if we had to discuss about it, I would simply bring up the fact that fleeing the village for _power_ and _vengeance_ while backstabbing those close to him for selfish reasons was in fact… POINTLESS. Unfortunately I couldn't do that because A) Sasuke and I were currently not on speaking terms, and B) saying such things was probably the _only_ thing he wouldn't let me get away with to begin with. I wouldn't say that I regretted nor missed my brother because in all honesty, I barely spoke to him regardless; I just felt uneasy that he held something against me and looking at him made me feel a bit like crap. Hopefully, I could avoid conversing with him for now and I guessed I came out lucky on that one because the raven's interest wasn't on me, it was at Sai.

"Is _he_ actually the reason you held off my training, Orochimaru?" He questioned expressionlessly, though I could tell he was really displeased by this fact.

Sai too was thoroughly examining my brother as if he was some sort of art piece as I watched in anticipation, waiting for something to happen. The way the new guy was staring at the raven wasn't far off from Sasuke doing the same almost made me do a double-take. They looked so alike physically and possibly mentally, which was weird to say the least because this guy flashed smiles out of nowhere. Clearly, there was something unique and different about this _Sai_ character because he even caught the attention of Sasuke less than a _minute_. Plus, Orochimaru himself agreed to take him under his wing instantly which made the guy even _more_ interesting. I would definitely keep my eyes on him so I could figure out this dude before I could determine my personal thoughts of him. Said character unexpectedly flashed out his forced smile to Sasuke like he did to me, which immediately snapped me out of my own thoughts and paid my attention towards the two.

"My name is Sai…" He politely introduced with that smile still plastered on his face. "… and you must be Sasuke Uchiha… I heard a lot you and—."

"Get lost." Sasuke instantly interjected coldly, causing my body to wince at his sudden verbal attack on Sai.

There were times that I completely forgot that the Uchiha male could be vicious and cold; it was either the fact that I was used to it or because I perceived it differently than others do. In this scenario, Sai didn't seem fazed nor even faltered by my brother's demand; his smile and facial expression stayed firmly and strong against the raven.

"I guess people still detest me, even with a smile…" He sighed disappointedly with that smile which was starting to creep me out a bit. "I'm still confident that I'll get along better with you than I did with Naruto."

Sai mentioning the blonde's name out of nowhere was more surprising than his sad excuse of a smile. It also begged the question of the relationship between him and Naruto. That fact that they didn't get along in the beginning wasn't too surprising to hear because the knucklehead was sort of a hothead with anyone who ticked him off the wrong way. Also, this stranger was supposedly Sasuke's replacement which the jinjuriki obviously didn't accept and disliked the man because of it. The thing that was surprising—in my opinion—was that he claimed that he thought he would get along better with Sasuke than Naruto.

Firstly,—and this was from a bias viewpoint—why would he _ever_ think that he and the raven could work well together when he was talking about one of the most stoic, arrogant, monotonous, distant, stubborn, narrow-minded, and the most impossible person to possibly _ever_ work with—and I was allowed to say this because I had been with him for my whole life so I knew _exactly_ what I was talking about. Secondly, the poor boy had his hopes up too high for the Uchiha that he would end up "crushed" in the end; normally I would feel bad but those who were hopeless cases shouldn't receive any hope from others—hypothetically speaking, I gave hope to those that weren't supposed to get it earlier, but it that wasn't important right now. And thirdly—and I was putting this out there as a theory—this guy was obviously trying to provoke Sasuke by mentioning his rival/former best friend just to get some sort of reaction, probably to analyze if whether or not the blonde still meant something to raven. Don't know _how_ he could benefit with this logic but he was basically asking for a death wish.

And he got it by a visual genjutsu casted by Sasuke's Sharingan, which made Sai fall down to his bottom from mere shock and trauma.

"Sasuke!" I heard Kabuto shout his name demandingly at him as said person remained still in the shadows.

I was skeptical if Sasuke actually did something that screwed up with Sai's mentality because for one, he wasn't as precise and heartless with genjutsu and visual prowess as Itachi was. So our new fellow was likely just stunned, is all; he wasn't expecting something like this so quickly. Like I said, you couldn't just say that you would get along with someone better only because it didn't work out previously.

Despite Kabuto's disliking of him attacking the guest, Sasuke merely stood up and started walking out of the room in the opposite direction. I got the feeling he wanted to do more training and expected Orochimaru to follow him outside. But before he travelled far enough that he couldn't hear us, Sai spoke up while he was still on the ground.

"Naruto… he…" He remarked shakenly, still feeling the effects from the genjutsu. "He mentioned about the bond he shares with _you_ …"

I secretly gaped on Sai's statement, feeling overwhelmed by this information. Naruto was still driven to bring Sasuke back and that he still carried the bond deep within his heart this whole time; he still hadn't given up on us. It made me adore the boy that much more; I really did miss him throughout the years and wished to see him all grown up and mature—although we were talking about Naruto Uzumaki, so I was curious if he really did mature.

This, however, didn't concern Sasuke at all; if anything, I wouldn't be surprised if he had _forgotten_ who Naruto was. He glared over his shoulder at Sai with his Sharingan blazing strongly in the darkness.

"The only _bond_ that I have is the bond of _hatred_ with my older brother…" He claimed venomously, glaring deadly at his poor victim.

All of a sudden, Sasuke turned his crimson eyes over towards me and glared at me which made me feel a bit intimidating. However, his glare was softer than it was for Sai; his eyes told me that he felt more hurt and offended than angry with me for what happened earlier. I stared back at him without thinking; something about his eyes told me to look deeply at them, to see Sasuke's true feelings about what I had said to him. Usually, I would feel guilty, be the bigger person, and apologize to my older brother but right now I felt that I had no right to do so; I did nothing wrong nor was it my fault. So it was up to him if he wanted to settle this with me or not, because I was done being the bigger person. Said raven broke our staring streak by turning his back on all of us and continued walking out of the room.

"I'll be _waiting_ outside, Orochimaru…" He stated firmly, telling him that the snake had no choice but to do so.

Orochimaru knew of this too because it was hard to say no to the Uchiha snob, even for _him_.

"I guess the boy wants to train some more…" The snake sighed tiredly, then he turned to Kabuto and handed him something. "Help Sai settle in, will you, Kabuto?"

"Of course, my lord." Kabuto accepted politely, bowing his head.

Four eyes then glanced over to me and smirked cockily at me to which I furrowed my eyebrows. "Wanna tag along, princess?" He asked slyly.

I huffed at his existence. "Later." I simply answered.

Kabuto nodded, respecting my decision and with that, he and Sai walked down on the same hallway we came from. Once they left the scene, it was just Orochimaru and myself standing there, examining each other. I was never comfortable of the snake staring at me like he _wanted_ me for his twisted schemes. If that wasn't weird enough, his pale white lips stretched into a wicked smile and then he gently caressed my cheek. This gesture made my body froze to the very core, unable to move or defend myself in any way.

"Behave well, my little one…" He purred deviously then walked off, leaving me all alone confused and appalled.

I blinked in shock then I shook my head to shake off anything in mind that was horrifying about that moment. I quickly made my way back to the kitchen and rapidly prepared a dish for our new lair mate. For some reason, I was being extra nice today which was so unlike me. I placed the plate of food and a cup of water on a small tray then I carefully but surely left the kitchen towards the possible room Sai was assigned to. When I stood in front of the door of said room, I was able to turn the knob and opened the door—shocked that the door was left unlocked in the first place. The first thing that my eyes laid on was the man's unwilling smile which startled me to the point in spilling everything that was in my hands.

"Hello." He greeted politely. "Can I help you?"

I sighed irritably at his question then plopped the tray of food on the small desk. "No, but I would appreciate it if you stop putting that fake smile. It almost made me drop all of this." I answered tiredly as my hand gestured over to the tray.

Sai continued to do the opposite of what I asked of him and smiled "kindly" at me.

"My apologies, Miss Katsumi…" He chirped calmly.

"I already told you before: _Katsumi_ is just fine…" I stressed, already getting impatient with the male and it hadn't been a day yet.

My patience for _Kabuto_ was longer than my patience with Sai, and he wasn't even _trying_ to irritate me. That least that was what I was assuming.

"My apologies, again… _Katsumi_ …" He smiled.

I rolled my eyes, giving up on having a conversation him—if you called this a conversation.

"What brings you here, Katsumi?" He suddenly asked me.

I noticed that he was eyeing me with his lips still curved upward but hardly.

"I simply thought that you were hungry from _whatever_ has happened when you were with Squad 7." I answered, feeling a sense of relief that he was actually talking like a human being. "You can say it's my way of welcoming you to Orochimaru's lair because it will be your last taste of freedom once you've settled in."

Of course, Sai threw his smile and I tried to resist the urge of slapping him.

"Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you…" He grinned.

"I hope so. It was a hassle to make this without getting busted by the snake." I snorted, cupping my hands on my hips.

Sai nodded as his smile was glued to his face. I exhaled as I rested my arm on a shelf while placing my weight against it.

"You're Sasuke's younger sister, correct?" He presumed conversationally.

I simply blinked at his words. "Yes, I am…"

Sai's smile stretched. "I figured. You and your older brother are different but simultaneously quite alike…"

I slowly nodded, feeling a bit awkward about his choice in topic since it was about Sasuke who I wasn't in good talking terms at the moment. Plus, why the hell does he give a damn about my brother and me to begin with?

"Where's Kabuto? Wasn't he with you?" I asked him causally, wanting to change the topic.

"He said he was going out to look for you since you said that you'll be here later." He answered respectfully. "Since you didn't disclose that you were going to get me food, he probably wasn't sure exactly about your whereabouts when we left you."

I pursed my lips in comprehension. "Makes sense, I suppose."

"He seems drawn to you."

I flinched at Sai's quick comment, trying to maintain the look on my face. Surely—by the looks of it—he wasn't stupid.

"Excuse me?"

"It looks to me that you have something that he holds close to him. When he said he was going to look for you, he slightly let his guard down; just your presence somehow impacted his behaviour and personality." He clarified briefly, eyeing me blankly like a piece of paper.

I lowered my gaze, processing Sai's observation in my mind. I knew that Kabuto cared deeply about me already, but when others took notice of this, it made me wonder how _strong_ his feelings for me were and how much it _grew_.

"Kabuto is—no doubt—a powerful ninja and is really good at disguising his emotions, but it slightly falters when it comes to you."

"So, what are you implying exactly, _Sai_?" I inquired sternly, narrowing my eyes at him.

Said person placed the fake smile mask on as defense. "I'm not implying anything. Just expressing my viewpoint, is all."

"Then why are you telling me this?" I questioned in confusion, not understanding the male's motive.

"I heard quite a lot about you from Sakura." He answered with his fake smile. "She told me about how you were like a sister to her and especially Naruto. You were always there through their troubles and how you motivated them to become excellent shinobi. She also said you always put others first and you were very pure, kind, and honest with others."

The fact that Sakura said those things and still considered me as a sister made me overwhelmed with love and admiration. Yes, I cherished my sisterhood with the pinkette even to this day, and I also heard she wanted to become a medic ninja like myself. Hearing this made me proud of her because she was focused on something that would benefit her rather than chasing Sasuke. I would've understood if she was heartbroken and even angry for betraying her, but she held nothing against me which made me feel even worse. I deserved the hate and loss of respect from my former friends, mentors and the Hokage.

"However, this siblinghood was strongly expressed from Naruto. He was aggressive and defensive when I spoke ill of you and Sasuke for leaving the village; it's obvious that you're still a part of his life since he was very protective of your good name and reputation. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you were one of the few people who made him the person and shinobi he is today." Sai added.

I gazed aside as he told me all of this about my former teammates. I already expressed that I still cared for them and felt a large amount of guilt for what I had done in my part. I wanted Naruto and Sakura to move on and forget about me and Sasuke because we were considered hopeless cases. Plus, they shouldn't have to feel pain and suffer when it could easily be avoided if they gave up on us. But those two wouldn't; they were determined to bring us back to the Leaf no matter what. I don't deserve their love and friendship, I don't deserve to go back to the Leaf, I don't deserve Kabuto's heart, I don't deserve Sasuke's acceptance, I don't deserve to be an Uchiha, I don't deserve to be a _ninja_ ; everything I had I had no right to it because I deserved nothing.

"I have heard about how bold and powerful you are as a kunoichi and a medical ninja. But you know just as much as I do that you're much more than that…" Sai analyzed thoughtfully as I refused to look at him. "You as a person is stronger than you as a ninja because you impacted many people and have the ability to change them in a way to make them better."

"I still don't understand how _this_ has anything to do with you. Plus, _why_ mention all this in the first place?" I gritted hardly, still avoiding eye contact with him as my eyes gained a sudden interest at the wall beside me.

I didn't even have to look to know that Sai was giving me yet another fake smile; I could just _feel_ his smile on me.

"I guess I'm curious if you can impact others, I wonder if you can impact _me_ in a way…" He answered mannerly.

That answer of his doesn't explain a whole lot. Actually, it made me even more confused and weirded out. Plus, I was kind of flattered, but I don't know what he was expecting from me to make an "impact". The thing was, I was only being myself; I wasn't aware nor intended to change others for the better.

I wanted to say something, but I was so engulfed with emotions from what I heard from my former teammates and Sai's analysis, I would be on the verge of crying. My best bet was to stay silent and try to pry my thoughts about this from my feelings because that too could end up in me with tears. I was at an emotional impasse and I don't know how I was getting myself out of this internal mess within me.

Luckily, I was saved by the likes of Kabuto when he urgently opened the room door.

"Oh, there you are, Katsumi." He chirped arrogantly as he walked over to my side as I still gazed at the opposite direction.

I stood my ground to remain silent, hoping that Kabuto could understand what might have happened. Thanks to his high IQ, he knew what happened because his hand rested on my shoulder and squeezed in comfort. As much as I appreciated it, I didn't want him to do anything to prove Sai's theory about Kabuto and myself. If he suspected anything between us, there was no doubt that he would tell Naruto, Sakura, and everyone else; I couldn't imagine the result after that and I wanted to keep it that way by preventing it. Since my eyes were glued stubbornly on the wall, I wasn't aware that the medic-nin on my side was glaring at Sai as he still held my shoulder.

"Did something happened in here when I was gone?" He demanded in a question, sounding quite aggravated than usually. "Better tell me now before _someone_ gets punished."

I knew he was referring the threat on Sai, but I wasn't sure of his newly-found aggression. It wasn't like he was hurting me in that sense; Sai was being honest when he spoke and I could handle the honesty. So why was Kabuto so protective all of a sudden? I knew he cherished me greatly and there were times when he was a bit protective, but not aggressive with others for my safety. Or maybe I was looking at it in a bias perspective; maybe Kabuto was worried that Sai exposed some details about the mission that weren't supposed to be said by anyone. Made sense to some extent, but not fully.

"Nothing happened, Kabuto." I told him weakly, then I shrugged his hand off of my shoulder. "Just something's on my mind, that's all."

I was surprised yet proud of myself for composing myself when I answered my partner, because I thought I would lose it once I opened my mouth. But the composure wouldn't last as long as I hoped and I wanted to get away from everyone; I wanted to get away from reality and hide in the darkness. With that in mind, I brushed past Kabuto and hurried myself out of the room before anyone could physically stop me.

"Where are you going?" I heard Kabuto's question echoed down the hallway and wafted into my ears.

I ignored his question as I marched swiftly in the direction that led to my own bedroom. I hated having feelings, and I hated feeling any more guilt than I already had as I carried it with me on my shoulders, wearing me down. I wished I could either disappear and never existed or wished I had no emotions of anything. Everything was happening at a fast rate and things were ending up in unfortunate cases… and it was all because of me. If I hadn't been weak and let Sasuke force me out of the Leaf, if I hadn't stood back and watched Naruto and Sasuke fight to the death, if I hadn't let Kabuto fall for me while I felt something for him… if I had just opened my eyes when things were getting unstable, none of this mess would've happened. If I wasn't naïve, stupid, and oblivious to everything, I could've done something to at least change the outcome. The guilt I carried within me was too much to hold in; I was the definition of guilt and I wanted to erase it from me. I wished I could go back in time and changed it the moment this all started.

It didn't matter that I was an Uchiha, nor that I had the Sharingan because it felt like I had my eyes closed and in the darkness until it was too late.

* * *

 **I bet you guys already know what's going to happen, right? I'm not going to spoil regardless, you'll have to wait and see how this is all going to play out in the next chapter. Till then!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here's Part 2 that you're dreading. Sorry if this is sort of like a filler, I tried my best with little time I had. Nonetheless, Chapter 17!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: An Unexpected Update (Part 2)**

 **Kabuto's POV:**

What was going on with Katsumi? When I walked in to check up on Sai, there she stood frozen and distant as she avoided eye contact from anyone. I immediately thought that our new ally said something to provoke her, and I was ready to punish the man. I didn't trust nor liked the fact that Lord Orochimaru let him in so easily to begin with. But Katsumi assured that Sai did nothing and that she was just battling with herself in her head. I felt anxious when the ravenette was like that because it was only hurting herself and she doesn't deserve it.

There were times where I worried for the girl.

I instantly went ahead and opened the door that led to her bedroom. The first thing that caught my eye was her flawless figure laying on her bed, facing the wall as her back faced me. Seeing her like this made my heart slightly ache for her. I knew that she knew that I was present in her room because her Uchiha senses were very strong in my experience. She would normally get annoyed at me for entering without knocking because "every girl needed her privacy". But this time, she didn't bat an eye nor even looked at me for entering without permission which made me even more worried and now curious about her issue.

I slowly moved myself towards her bed and gently sat on the edge, beside her. If she wasn't in a depressed state, I would've just sat here and gaze at her beautiful form all day without saying a single word. But my partner was in distress, and I couldn't enjoy the view until whatever was the matter was settled.

"Clearly something was said when I was absent." I stated simply, placing my hand on her thigh to grab her attention.

Katsumi remained quiet as she continued to stare daggers at the wall, however she was listening to me so I dismissed her trying to look away.

"You know I won't leave until you tell me what your problem is. So being silent isn't going to cut it." I remarked firmly.

"What if the problem is _me_ , Kabuto?" She suddenly purposed quietly, her face still glued to the wall.

"What?" I gaped at her unanticipated answer, blinking my eyes as I processed her words.

"It's like every decision I make, something unfortunate happens and I can't help but feel so guilty about it." She briefed weakly; her voice sounded as if she were dead.

"Everything happens for a reason." I told her gently, petting her upper leg. "The reason isn't always you…"

"Are you stupid or are you _stupid_?" She scoffed daringly, adjusting her position on the bed. " _I'm_ the idiot who allowed Sasuke to force me out of the village, _I'm_ the idiot who pushed my friends away, _I'm_ the idiot who selfishly influenced people for my own benefit, _I'm_ the fool who works for the likes of Orochimaru, _I'm_ the fool who chose the dark side and because of all this… things are spiralling out of control and I'm feeling the backlash of all of it."

My face fell when I heard her explanation. The one thing that was beautiful but unfortunate about the Uchiha female was that she had so much love for others and despised hurting those loved ones because she would carry so much guilt and pressure on her shoulders, it wasn't healthy for her mental and emotional stability. What I also noticed was that she strongly regretted the decisions she made and the fact that she was _pressured_ to make those decisions made her feel even worse about herself. And I thought _I_ was a sad case.

"There's no point in taking in all the guilt, Katsumi…" I told her straight-forwardly in a gentle tone. "There are things we can control, then there are the things we _can't_ control… that doesn't mean you should be held responsible…"

"You think I _don't_ know that, Kabuto?" She dared incredulously, finally turning her head to look at me. "I _know_ I can't control everything, but that doesn't change the way how I feel… the guilt I have is so much, it hurts and I just want it to stop…"

"But why make yourself feel this way?" I questioned hardly, demanding an answer.

Katsumi shifted her position and rotated her body until she was flat laying on her back, gazing up at me sadly. My grip on her thigh tightened as I waited for her to say something that I probably wouldn't expect.

"Sai told me what Sakura told him about me earlier when you were gone, looking for me." She explained softly as her eyes became glossy. "She _still_ considers me as a _sister_ , after everything I've put that poor girl through. Me being a medic ninja motivated her to become one herself. Despite backstabbing her and throwing our sisterhood away, she never doubted or judged me as a person."

I remained silent as she paused in the middle of her explanation. She rested her arm across her face, covering her eyes from seeing anything in front of them.

"Not only that, Naruto was very protective of me when Sai mentioned my name in a negative way, thinking that I wasn't worth the effort." She continued, feeling ashamed of herself. "Naruto—to this day—considers me as his friend and he still holds me close to his heart even after I betrayed him. He _knew_ all along what was happening to my brother and he knew it would end up like this, and he tried his damn hardest to stop me from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Of course, I didn't listen to him and I'm paying the price…"

As Katsumi spoke, I could hear her voice getting weaker and shakier after each word. It almost sounded like she was about to cry but was using her willpower to hold back her tears. I knew seeing her weep would be hard on me, but I rather had her cry in front of me than watch her struggling to prevent herself from crying because seeing her struggling right now pained me in the inside.

"I don't _deserve_ this, Kabuto…" I heard her breathe lightly as her voice staggered.

I blinked in shock and confusion at her comment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't _deserve_ these amazing people I have by my side unconditionally. Even my other friends back at my village; they don't deserve someone like me. I don't _deserve_ their love and support, their friendship, anything they gave me I deserve _nothing_ … not when I'm hurting them and making them go through this. They don't deserve the pain and suffering just as much as I don't deserve _them_ as my friends…" She clarified disappointedly, on the verge of tearing up.

"You said they're by your side and love you unconditionally; what you told me just now is a part of that unconditional love, so whatever you've done they'll still consider you a friend even if you think they shouldn't." I mentioned matter-of-factly as my hand reached over to gently hold hers.

"Yeah but…"

"That has _nothing_ to do with you because it was their choice in pursuing you and Sasuke; you didn't _make_ them. Even if that were the case, feeling super guilty about it doesn't help anything but cause depression." I interjected bluntly. "Just accept the mistakes you did and move on… because those _mistakes_ help you evolve as a human being…"

Once I closed my mouth, I was baffled to hear giggles from my depressed partner. I studied her form and the only difference I saw was her lips curving into a smile while her arm still covered her eyes.

"To think… that I actually _thought_ that throwing everything away for Sasuke was the right thing… and look what happened to us now…" She sighed disappointedly to herself aloud.

Her mentioning about her brother all of a sudden instantly made me thought about the tension I saw between the two earlier. It looked as though they weren't as… compatible, but I couldn't be sure since they barely spoke to each other in the first place. But I could tell that something was off between the two and I was curious to find out.

"What's going on with you two, anyway?" I asked her in curiosity.

Katsumi heavily sighed. "Remember when you told me that I have to stop letting my brother influence me?"

I nodded at her, inching closer until I was sitting right next to her waist.

"Well, Sasuke thought it was smart to say that I was 'desperate' when I was cooking for everyone in the whole lair." She briefed, sounding fed up with the situation. "He also got defensive when I mentioned that he forced me out of the Leaf, saying that the option was only up to me…"

One of the things that really bugged me about Sasuke was the fact he couldn't take responsibility for his mistakes. I don't know if it was his Uchiha façade or he was simply being a stubborn brat, but he doesn't know how to listen to reason when it hit him in the head. It made sense now that Katsumi always placed the blame on herself; her brother doesn't take responsibility like the man he 'claimed' he was. It stung for me to think this, but I honestly felt that the poor girl wouldn't have this stress if it weren't for him; Sasuke wasn't protecting her at all. What was also saddening was the fact that she had to mature much quicker in order to protect and look after herself with Itachi roaming around somewhere and Sasuke being a deadbeat big brother.

"Wait, did you just say that you cooked for _everyone_ in the lair?" I repeated that specific detail, almost forgetting this fact.

"Yes…" She confirmed, nodding with her arm draped over her face.

"Every single _person_ , you mean?" I prompted suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. " _Including_ the prisoners…?"

Katsumi stayed silent when I mentioned Orochimaru's prisoners, instantly knowing that it was a yes from the girl. This, in which, I sighed heavily then I frowned upon it.

"Katsumi, I don't have to tell you that you're _not_ supposed to do that." I scolded in slight irritation.

"Just because there are rules doesn't mean I'm going to follow them." She defended nonchalantly, not fazed about the seriousness behind her act. "Plus, what that snake is doing is messed up and inhumane so it's the _least_ I could do for them. They felt so blessed for the kind gesture…"

I remained silent at her explanation, still not entirely convinced of her argument. I understood at some degree because she made the point that those people prayed every minute that Lord Orochimaru wouldn't touch them. On the other hand, Katsumi had access to the cells in the first place because I was the one who gave her the keys so she could assist me on examination. Not even Lord Orochimaru knew of this act of rebellion I did behind his back which put my life on risk as well for that. The Uchiha girl was very smart and talented in hiding her tracks however she got sloppy when it involved around the Sanin because she simply didn't care what he would do to her; she was convinced that she couldn't and wouldn't be touched, not when Sasuke was a part of the equation. The fact of the matter was that she was abusing her luck to the point it could get the both of us killed; the least she could do was be more sensitive about my wellbeing.

"I mean, since when did I gave a damn about 'breaking' the snake's rules, right?"

"Still, you have to realize that your actions could someday affect me in a negative way…" I pointed out bluntly. "My safety is important too; unlike you, I don't have anyone to back me up…"

"Ouch, four eyes… _very_ ouch…" She exclaimed sarcastically.

"What is it?" I asked her irritably, not liking the fact that I couldn't understand the girl as much as I hoped. She was just so broad with her comments that I always had to ask the question. That made me look like an oblivious idiot.

"You being a jerk and an idiot like _always_ …" She sighed in bore. "You're completely forgetting that your partner has your back…"

I stared down at her incredulously. I was in disbelief that she came out and admitted that she was by my side. I knew that she physically was, but Katsumi wasn't good nor she liked expressing her feelings for a particular person to them to begin with. She felt as though it made her seemed vulnerable and weak when she confessed and simply resorted in being herself. Though the quality of her was one of the things that made me fall for her, it was comforting and satisfying to hear her said that out loud. Drawn to this, I leaned over until my forehead was resting on her forearm what was still covering her eyes. My nose brushed against hers every time one of us moved as my chest laid lightly against the girl's chest, feeling her perfectly round breasts. The feeling of being on top of my beautiful partner made me aroused and comforting simultaneously; I wanted to strip her clothes off and kiss every part of her but at the same time, I wanted to lay next to her in bed with her in my arms.

"I'm surprised you admitted that, to be honest…" I stated frankly, slightly nudging my forehead on her arm to remove it from her face.

Fortunately, Katsumi accepted to do so and pushed her forearm upward to reveal her beautiful, dark eyes to me. Her arm still laid on her upper forehead—which my forehead was still resting on—as we gazed into each other's dark pools, getting lost into its glimpse.

"I don't blame you, really." She breathed weakly, sounding a bit sad. "I mean, I know I can be difficult at times and it's hard to be around me so it's hard to know what I'm feeling in the inside because I'm not used to telling people… which is why I probably push them away without giving them the chance to understand…"

Hearing this pushed me to kiss the girl's nose to make her feel a bit better than a second ago.

"Sometimes I feel that I'm giving you a hard time when I somewhat block you from my thoughts and feelings, making you feel like you did something wrong. I do feel bad but I just don't know how to express that in a way that isn't cold…" She added disappointedly as she gazed brokenly into my eyes.

I lifted my left hand and let it entwined its fingers with hers strongly as I looked firmly down at her.

"I don't see it like that, you know…" I told her gently, adjusting then tightening my grip on her hand. "I see you as a strong woman who can fight for herself and doesn't need a stereotypical man protecting her when she's just as strong."

"Kabuto…" She whispered weakly as her eyes made a glossy coat.

I then leaned in with my lips locked firmly against hers, kissing her affectionately as she instantly responded to the kiss. I pulled back for a brief second only to see her face a bit brighter than a moment ago, but it was still dull.

"Don't feel as though you have to change no matter what… Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, I and everyone else love you for who _you_ are despite your flaws. You being 'difficult', 'distant' and 'hard-headed' are just a few of the qualities that makes us all love you…" I told her sweetly, meaning every word from the bottom of my heart.

"Are you for real, four eyes?" She questioned me meekly, feeling touched by my sentimentality.

"I swear on my life, Katsumi." I promised solidly.

"Thank you…" She exhaled calmly as she gave me a small but beautiful smile. "I really needed that…"

"And thank _you_ for assuring me that you're beside me when no one else is." I returned a thanks to her, feeling more secure than I had ever been. "I can always rely on you to make my day brighter, right?"

Katsumi then suddenly furrowed her eyebrows. "Just step outside if you want your day to be bright; it's the sun's job, not mine." She witted bluntly.

I chuckled at her sarcastic joke; the girl's spunk was so attractive and cute at the same time. I then placed my lips on hers; I already missed the taste of her lips and kisses. She responded to the kiss once again and before I knew it, our lips were moving alluringly. I used my grip on her hand to bind it from moving by nailing it above her head. I hesitantly pulled back from her lips and went back being dazed by her beautiful eyes.

"As much as I want this to last longer, this unfortunately stops here…" I murmured seductively to her then I kissed her lips briefly. "To be continued…"

"Just go already. Stop acting all hot…" She huffed impatiently, sounding a bit unimpressed.

After I gave her one, final kiss, I begrudgingly picked myself up from Katsumi and walked over to the door without turning back. If I did, the feeling of not feeling her would spike intensely. Luckily, said female understood this and kept quiet as I opened the door and exited out of the room. As I walked across the lair, I couldn't stop thinking about my decision of giving the cell keys to the ravenette. It was the first time I had done behind Lord Orochimaru's back besides dating her. Disobeying my lord had never crossed my mind nor did I entertain that option because he was the only person that meant something to me. Lord Orochimaru took me in and took care of me when no one else could lift a finger, despite me following all of this commands and doing sinful things by his word.

Then I fell for Katsumi and everything changed. Unlike Lord Orochimaru, she gave me real sympathy, empathy, compassion and there were times where she could be protective of me in a way that looked like she was being stubborn. Not only that, she wanted to help me find myself and who I was; she wanted to help find my identity and with the exception of her not really caring, she would try her best to help in any way. She might not think it, but both her and her personality was beautiful and he had a huge heart of gold. There was no way in thanking her in giving me the feeling of being cared about and loved.

However, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something risky about feeling this way. Now that I had Katsumi, I was worried that she could mess up my priorities. There was no doubt that my feelings for her were stronger and honestly meaningful than my feelings for Lord Orochimaru as a subordinate; I wasn't devoted to him than I was before. That could be dangerous for me because the more I fell for her, the less focused I was for my lord. Plus, I would end up doing prohibited things behind his back for my partner and that would eventually end up me disobeying him all together. I couldn't just push myself away from the girl because I was so attached to her, but I also couldn't avoid Lord Orochimaru either; I just had to be careful and think more logically when both people were factored in the same situation.

What was unbelievable was that I was considering my oath to Lord Orochimaru for Katsumi. Before the Sanin was literally my whole life and the only person that meant something to me, but now all I wanted was to be with the beautiful, headstrong ravenette and have a life with her. But how could I when that decision could possibly be my _last_ decision?

* * *

 **Katsumi's POV:**

I couldn't believe I was admitting this, but Kabuto actually made me feel a bit lighter and better. How genuine and sensitive he was about my issues, plus cheering me up without being cheesy was crazy. I seemed to forget that four eyes really cared for me and he would out of his way to merely comfort me. It showed how much he loved me and I couldn't be more flattered. However it sometimes upset me because he showed how much I meant a lot to me yet I hadn't done anything to show how much he meant to me. To be blunt, I wasn't sure how I felt about him nor if I loved him or eventually feel that way for me. He had assured me before that I could take as much time I needed to figure out my feelings for him and he would be there waiting for me no matter how long it took. Regardless, it didn't change how bad I felt for not feeling the same way; in my head I wanted to go ahead and love the male to death, but in my heart I was hesitant and worried that I would get hurt.

After being abandoned and had my trust being broken by others, I felt as though I could never live a normal life because of my fears.

Overall, there was no doubt that I truthfully appreciated, respected, and even _admired_ Kabuto Yakushi.

Suddenly, my room started shaking as if an earthquake hit the lair. Luckily it wasn't so strong so everything in my room was still intact when my room shook. Right off the bat, I knew that this wasn't a minor natural disaster that took place; something was going on. There was a possibility that this was an ambush or an attack directed at Orochimaru. But the timing with Kabuto's mission, recruiting Sai, and hearing that Squad 7 was involved was all too suspicious. Then it hit me when I placed the pieces together: Squad 7 broke into the lair and was hunting down Sasuke and I. The thought of the likelihood of actually going home made me have mixed feelings; I missed my old friends back at the Leaf, but it would never be the same once I faced my punishment and I don't want to leave Kabuto.

But the chance in seeing Squad 7 all grown up was too tempted to pass up, so I caved in and speed-walked out of my bedroom door.

I activated my Sharingan to pinpoint a familiar chakra network somewhere in the lair, then I sensed a very familiar source of chakra north from where I was. I could sense the mixture of that person's chakra and the Tailed-Beast's chakra flaring up; this was Naruto Uzumaki no doubt. This solidified that Squad 7 was here now and they were looking for us, meaning I had to get to them before they caught me. With that thought, I raced towards the charka source until I came in contact with a huge hole that leaded outside; a hole that seemed to be destroyed not too long ago.

With my Sharingan I could sense five chakra sources behind the big hole on the wall. I could instantly recognized Sasuke, Naruto, and eventually Sakura but there were two chakra sources that I sensed I wasn't too familiar of. I couldn't see the group of ninja physically because there was a bright light that blinded me as I stood in front of the big hole on the wall from the sun's rays. According to their chakra waves, the Leaf ninja didn't notice me just beside their view of vision so lucky for me. I could tell—because Sasuke was always being Sasuke—that he was staring down at all of our former comrades because he simply cared for no one now. But I couldn't just side with the Leaf, betraying Kabuto and my brother. Plus, even if I had my allegiance with by birth village once again, they wouldn't let me down easy for my betrayal and siding with the most ruthless, wanted rogue ninja that ever lived.

Besides, there was a sibling code that everyone must follow, including Sasuke and I. So I had no choice but to side with my brother and back him up if he needed it, however I wouldn't listen to him if he wanted me to attack or kill them willingly because I still cared for them.

Gathering up all my courage and putting on my stoic mask, I vanished from my initial location and reappeared in a flash next to my brother. I was in a crouching position when I noticed that we were standing near the border of a crater, giving us a good view of the once lair hallway with the sunlight from above. I examined the crater and my eyes caught on a group of familiar faces that I dreaded to see yet avoid. I knew instantly that among the group in the hole was Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sai, and an unidentified ninja who was likely a jonin; I vaguely remembered Kabuto mentioning that there was a jonin who was taking Kakashi's place in the mission they were on.

The looks on their faces when I magically appeared showed awe and shock to which I couldn't blame them because it had been a while. Just seeing them once again made my heart clench a bit because of how much I missed them. Then I felt the immense guilt I carried how what I had done to them that brought us all to this situation, despite Sasuke being the one to force me. I wasn't certain if they were stunned that I was willingly working for the snake or that they hadn't seen me for a long time to begin with. The looks they were giving me made me uncomfortable, overwhelmed and for some reason, refreshed. Oddly, it was refreshing to see their faces at all and seeing the two looking like they saw a ghost brought back good memories.

"It's…" I heard Sakura shakenly breathing in awe.

"It's BLAIN!" Naruto interjected in surprise, his blue eyes widened by the sight of me.

Hearing them say the name that solely my closest friends call me felt like a kunai knife stabbed my heart. Their voices hadn't changed since the last time I saw them, however I did hear the maturity behind it which begged the question if not only their voices and appearance matured. I completely ignored Sai and the unknown jonin as I examined the circumstances we were all in; former comrades and teammate were facing off possibly to the death. It was bad enough that I had to see them in these terms, but the urge to see their bright, courageous faces took me over and I had to face them, even if we were currently enemies. I could tell by looking at their faces and the way they reacted when I exposed myself that they held nothing against me for what I had done in my part nor they were angered; they sounded as though they were happy to see my face just as much as I was.

"It's been a while… Sakura… Naruto…" I commented blankly, gazing down at my once and only family.

* * *

 **Ooh, cliff-hanger! That's right, you wanna know what happens next? Then you'll have to wait for the next chapter! See you then!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the super long wait for this chapter! At least I'm back and I have something to cheer you up.**

 **But before I get to the chapter, I just wanna thank a certain reviewer, mykaelamatsukaze. I was with my friend when I got the notification and after reading your review, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Literally, I felt so much love from you through that mere review and how genuine it was. I just wanna take this time to thank you so much and I'm dedicating this chapter to you!**

 **With that out of the way, on with Chapter 18!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: An Unexpected Update (Part 3)**

The staring contest continued between the Uchiha siblings and the reboot of Squad 7 of the Leaf Village. Though I finally came to terms that I had to fight the people that meant the most to me, I was hesitant to make any move to do so unless I was provoked by possibly my brother. As I was thinking this, my shiny onyx eyes were in contact with the blonde's own ocean blue ones and nothing had been done to break this eye contact. His eyes were wide in disbelief and pain as mine were monotonous and dull, but my visual orbs don't mirror my inner feelings at all.

"Blain…" He breathed incredulously as his full attention was on me. "I can't believe it's really you…"

I was given the name 'Blain' a long time ago by my brother, Itachi; he was the first person who referred to me this name rather than 'Katsumi' because he claimed that it was a much suitable name. In a foreign language, it was translated to 'eye' as in the eyeball and it theoretically meant that a person saw and was enlightened to everything based on their beliefs of the world and society. I remembered the story Itachi told me when I was little about a girl—who was miraculously named 'Blain'—hundreds of years ago who was born without full vision due to an incurable disease and because of this, she was told that she could never become a ninja because of her lack of vision. Because of her being stubborn and headstrong, she went ahead and trained her damn hardest to become a skilled kunoichi. Her hard work paid off and she proved every doubter wrong that said she couldn't do it. She strongly believed that a person doesn't need eye sight to succeed in life, but it was the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that helped them successful in achieving their goals. She also believed that just because a person sees doesn't mean they knew all and that vision doesn't reflect the person as a whole. Nonetheless, she proved her theory by hard training and a mind that was both opened but critical.

I asked Itachi why he gave me this nickname, and his response was that because it was both legitimate and metaphoric when it came to me. My Sharingan activated when I came out of the womb and doctors couldn't explain why and how this happened. Some claimed that in my case, the visual prowess was one of the rarest beneficial mutations while others claimed that my chakra pathways were stronger near my eyes which possibly led to me activating it as an infant. However, there wasn't any definite answers that linked to this but I assured myself this was a good thing. At least until this "mutation" made me a "freak" and an "abnormal" human by the eyes of my own family and shunned me or verbally attack me. On the metaphorical side however, Itachi knew since I was very little that I had a mind that far exceeded those who were chunin not only because of my knowledge, but because of how critical and open-minded I was to society. He also told me that I created thoughts and theories as a child because I was both curious and skeptical of the life we lived as ninja and as humans. For an example, one time I told him that "we were no longer humans because we kill for a living", and, "it was funny that there were so many intelligent and talented shinobi, yet we had no f**kin' common sense". See what I meant? I was a prodigy. To sum it all up, what I had just said was basically the reason why he referred to me as 'Blain'; getting the Sharingan as an infant and how intellectual and extensive my mind was.

When I first met Naruto, assured him that I didn't hate him, and genuinely wanted to be his friend, he asked me my name. I told him my name was 'Katsumi' but as an eight-year-old, he had a little trouble saying my name with the pronunciation. I then offered him to simply call me 'Kat', like how Sasuke did at the time because he was a sucker for them. Apparently, the little blondie refused, claiming that he didn't like cats and he liked me; it didn't make sense to him to call a friend something he hated. Finally, I told him he could call me 'Blain' and he was confused about the weird name. I told him the backstory of it because he and I felt the same resentment from others and I felt a strong, emotional connection with him as did he. When I finished telling him the significance behind the name, he immediately was a fan of it. Since then and apparently to this day, he still called me 'Blain' rather than 'Katsumi'. Then I met Sakura during a kunoichi class at the Academy when I stood up for her when the other girls were bullying her. She already knew who I was because of the reputation I had along with Sasuke, but thanks to Naruto, she too referred to me as 'Blain'. Followed by Kakashi after he helped me through a depression relapse which I suffered after the emotional, physical, and psychological trauma I went through after that bastard of an older brother casted his Tsukuyomi on me and beat me with ruthless aggression with no emotion on his face. Others include the rest of the genin group along with my mentors, and that made me feel like they were my home.

Hearing it from the blonde now—factoring in the betrayal, pain and stressed I caused him—, it made me feel like the kunai that pierced my heart earlier was twisting itself deeper, making me feel more pain.

"You've grown up, Naruto." I complimented expressionlessly, hiding the bittersweet feeling in my chest. "I hope your abilities and jutsu came along with that growth…"

It was true that both Naruto and Sakura grew since the last time. Naruto's appearance had changed quite a bit with the new fitted sweater and pants that was now an equal amount of orange and black. What really caught my attention was his newly-tall height; there was no doubt that he had a growth spurt as the years passed. Sakura was—for the most part—looked significantly the same from when she was twelve/thirteen with her short, pink hair, her red outfit—however it was worn as a top and not a dress, and she had her emerald green eyes that showed disbelief too currently, but a newly-founded fierceness behind the shock that reflected her power and abilities as a kunoichi. What was basically different was her change in outfit, which was sort of typical—no offense given.

With all of these thoughts relating to our former comrades, I was curious to know if Sasuke thought close to at least one of them.

"Why are you all here?" I heard said brother questioning the Leaf shinobi with a tedious and boring tone. However, I could hear the irritation as well but was very disguised by his dull tone.

"W-We're here to bring you and Blain back to the Leaf!" Naruto answered passionately, sounding desperate to get the job done. I took note that Naruto's voice had matured as well since it sounded lower than it was back then, but it still sounded like the Naruto I had known and loved.

"Is that so?" The raven sarcastically intrigued; it was hilarious to hear how bored he was because this use of tone barely occurred.

"That's right." The unidentified jonin of their mission spoke up sternly, throwing us a determined look. "By orders of the Hokage, we're here to bring the both of you back even by force."

I side-glanced at Sasuke to observe his reaction. Of course, he gave no reaction as he remained blank as a sheet of paper refusing to have any emotion drawn on him. Normally, I was good at reading his thoughts because he usually dropped his guard when around me and though he mostly didn't tell me his thoughts, he allowed his face to do the talking which was enough for me to understand. But that we were distant and his new façade was harder to read, his thoughts and emotions were difficult to read because the variation was identical.

"Kakashi's not here…" He simply commented, observing what was in front of him with his emotions not connecting to it at all. "That must mean you're taking his place for this mission."

I refused the urge to blink dumbly at my older brother; was that the _only_ thing he gave any sort of damn about.

"That must mean that guy's my replacement…" He analyzed, connecting one of the easiest dots ever.

I moved my pupils over to the guy he was referring to, which was Sai. My feelings of him betraying us were mixed; I hadn't known him for too long nor I had a clue if I liked him or not, but him betraying us was so quick it made no sense as to why in the hell did he joined Orochimaru if he was going to pull this stunt. I hoped that both Kabuto and the snake felt so stupid for this, especially Kabuto because he _knew_ that Sai couldn't be trusted yet he went along with what was going on.

"That's right." Sai acknowledged his theory, then he pulled out his—in my opinion but likely true—his sad excuse of a sword and holding it out at our direction.

Both Sasuke and I weren't really fazed by his sudden act of bravery. However, I was aware that Naruto and Sakura were surprised by this for some reason. Curiously, I focused my hearing so that I could overhear what they were saying.

"Sai, but you—!?"

"It's true that my true mission was to kill both Sasuke and Katsumi…" He confessed firmly as he kept his strong stare on said couple with his sword still held in front of him. "But, I'm _done_ following orders. From now on, I follow my own path."

I was taken aback by what he said before announcing that he wouldn't take crap for anyone from this point on. His _true_ mission was to kill us? But… _why_? It made no sense to me. First of all, why the hell the Hidden Leaf would ordered them to take us back to the village when Sai's "real mission" was to straight-up kill us? They were basically contradicting their goals. Secondly, why the hell would they want us dead in the _first_ place? Yes, we were considered rogue to the Leaf and went as far as betraying them to go to Orochimaru, but it wasn't like we were carrying huge bounties over our heads nor we committed any sort of crime that deserved the death penalty. Hearing all of this made me both confused and slightly pissed off; Kabuto was going have a lot of explaining to do later.

"Sasuke…!"

The voice that called said person's name made the raven and I give out attention to Sai.

"Obviously, this bond you and your sister share with Naruto and Sakura still means a lot to them or they wouldn't have travelled all the way here with obstacles just to get you back." He briefly explained to us in a bold, loud tone; this was the realest Sai had ever been in the short amount of time of knowing him.

"You have to understand that this bond is what pushes them to bring you both back home." He added hardly, gripping his sword tightly.

I already knew this from the beginning, yet I had to have some stranger—who had no clue what happened between all of us—tell me that they were still trying to bring us home because of the special bond. My chest tightened up just thinking about it.

"Katsumi!" I heard Sai call my name to which I gave him my ears. "The conversation we had earlier… I knew at that moment this bond still means something to you. Unlike your brother, you'd come to terms with that…"

I clenched my fist as I secretly gritted my teeth at his words; yes, I already admitted this to myself but it doesn't mean I wanted my stubborn brother knowing.

"Why are you holding back on this opportunity if you _know_ that's what you want?" He then questioned, demanding an answer.

Why in the good name of Kami was he talking like he was a hero when he was the same jackass who was supposed to murder Sasuke and I?

"First of all, don't talk as if you know _anything_ about how I 'feel'." I grimed dully. "Secondly, I'm not holding back anything. I'm simply being realistic in this situation…"

"What do you mean?" Sakura questioned incredulously, shocked that something like that came out of my mouth.

"Why would I want to come back to Leaf if said village secretly wanted me dead? And I'm not speaking on behalf of Sasuke; this is merely my perception of it all." I slightly frowned unpleasingly. "Even if I were to willingly come back, there's no doubt that I'll have to face the consequences for leaving the village. I've already lost everyone's trust by then…"

"NO, that's not true at all!" Naruto exclaimed in disagreement. "All of your comrades already know that you never wanted to leave and that it was Sasuke who convinced you into doing so. I _swear_ you won't face any punishment if you just come back to us. We all _missed_ you…!"

"And how does that make _me_ feel better if there's a better chance in _Sasuke_ getting all the blame!?" I asked grimly, narrowing my eyes at the blonde as I hid my inner thoughts and feelings.

"None of you are in the wrong!" Sakura cried out. "All we want is have our old team back! We know that you want that more than Sasuke, so just _convince_ him to come back, Blain!"

"Like I just said, returning is not the smartest decision for both myself and you guys." I told her stubbornly. "As far as Sasuke goes, I have no right to influence his decisions; he does whatever he wants to do and I have to respect and support him as his sister."

This was the truth, but not the full truth. As his sibling, I had to respect him because it was an Uchiha and family code. However, I don't follow his orders and demands because I wasn't his lapdog nor he was allowed to influence me in a way that I disliked. No matter how irritated I was with Sasuke, I still loved him and I would always stay by his side when it came to situations like this.

"Katsumi…" A familiar voice called my name, to which I turned only to see Sasuke's blank but rare soft look he was giving me.

"Don't be that grateful, bro. Besides it's kind of obvious since there's a code that we both have to follow… _unconditional_ love…" I verbally waved him off, keeping my eyes busy by looking down at the Leaf ninja.

I could still feel his stare on me, processing what I had just said as he tried to read my inner feelings.

"Of course…" He agreed expressionlessly.

Although I knew that Sasuke had unconditional love for me, it was good to hear him admitting it out loud to me. It still showed a bit of the old Sasuke that I had once known very well.

"By the way, that conversation we had earlier…" I remarked firmly refusing to look at him. "Despite the unconditional love… I still stand by my words because as my brother… you have to understand my feelings in all this… because I'm just as important to you as anything else…"

Sasuke remained silent after hearing this which was no surprise since he either be stubborn and/or stoic, or he wouldn't say anything at all. So when he parted his lips to speak, it was a slight surprise for me.

"Yeah…" He murmured so quietly, it was as if his voice was next to mute.

The tone he used in his response slightly sounded like he felt a bit guilty; he felt bad for ever doubting that I wasn't that important to him. I wasn't asking Sasuke to hold me like I was something holy or whatever; I wanted him to know that he should be there for his sister like I was always there for him. The fact that his volume was next to zero made me to believe that he didn't want Naruto and Sakura to see the side of him that was loved by them because it was a sign of weakness.

What happened next, I wasn't certain of exactly because the conversation turned to Sasuke who was basically the mastermind in this mess. Naruto questioned if their brotherly bond wasn't important to him, then how come he didn't finish the blonde off when he had the chance at the Final Valley. Sasuke simply said that he just spared his life just because and breaking this bond of theirs couldn't be broken by death. However, Sasuke went off to claim that they meant nothing to him and he was planning on killing all of them this time. That was when I snapped myself back into reality and throwing Sasuke a bit of an appalled look from behind which he didn't seemed to see. Suddenly, the raven hopped from the edge of the hole and landed gracefully in front of Naruto with his left hand on the blonde's shoulder. They were rather close to each other so much so that my brother's chin was hovering above his former friend's shoulder as the blonde stood there frozen with his eyes dead opened. I couldn't make out exactly what he mumbled in Naruto's ear, but what I took from it was if the blonde used his time wisely rather than on us he could've become Hokage. Then, my face twitched when he added that something told him to "finish what he started", and then he pulled out his sword. I knew immediately he was trying to kill the Uzumaki boy and my instincts told me to stop him. But before I took one step, Sai came in instead to save Naruto from his death.

Sasuke blocked this attempted attack with his sword as the two of the men's blades clashed. At the corner of my eye, I noticed that Sakura was focusing her chakra to her right fist then charged directly at Sasuke who was being kept busy by Naruto and Sai. I was informed by Kabuto that the pinkette was trained under the Leaf's Hokage, Tsunade, and I knew of her capabilities as a medical ninja and a kunoichi. To sum it all up, there was no telling just how strong she was now, but I definitely knew her strength was something that shouldn't be messed with if she was trained by someone like Tsunade.

Out of compulsion, I dived into the hole into battle towards Sakura. It wasn't until the last second when she took notice that I was gliding rapidly to her, but to her luck she dodged my attack which resulted in me landing hard on my feet causing the floor beneath me to crack. I glanced at the pinkette who now stood near the edge of the hole. I straightened by back as I lifted myself off of my feet, not taking my eyes off of my former friend.

"Your opponent is me, not Sasuke…" I insisted solidly as my hand reached behind me. "It's more appropriate, don't you think?"

Sakura watched me warily as I pulled out two identical objects from my weapon pouch. I could feel her squinting her eyes at me while I was slipping silver hand gear on both my wrists. I lifted my gaze from my hands to the pinkette who seemed kind of confused as to what I had on which made me smile a bit.

"To be honest with you, I'm curious to know how strong you've gotten after training with Tsunade." I grinned coyly as I adjusted the shiny new battle gear I just put on.

Shakenly, the pinkette took out a kunai knife. "I'm not the same person you knew years ago." She insisted confidently, throwing me a determined look.

I let out a cocky laugh as I positioned my forearms to make an X-formation in front of my chest, as I showed off to Sakura exactly what I had placed.

"Then, prove it to me… _sister_ …" I mused playfully as my hand gear subconsciously activated its combat form.

The hand gear consisted of three, long, sharp, piercing blade claws that extended out over the knuckles with a cool set up of the silver base starting from the lower forearm up to my knuckles; just looking at it already felt like you were being cut by it. The claw blades were about half a meter long and were secretly carrying Orochimaru's deadliest poison which meant that one cut could kill a person if not treated properly. I could see the slight intimidation in the pinkette's bright green eyes. Though fighting my closest friends was the last thing I wanted, I was curious to see the girl's new power she obtained by facing her.

I dashed straight at her as I held my geared hand back. Once I was in front of the pinkette, I threw my long, bladed, toxic claws at my opponent to which she skillfully blocked my attack with her kunai. Our weapons scratched against each other due to the force the both of us were applying to gain the upper-hand. We were eyeing each other solidly, conversing with our eye contact rather than speech. I wondered if Sakura got the memo; I never wanted to face her in these terms. It was simply to get her away from Sasuke because he already had his hands full with Sai and Naruto.

Out of nowhere, Sakura pulled the next move by throwing a punch infused with chakra at me. I dodged easily, mentally commenting that her attacks shouldn't be messed with. I used my hand gear and threw swift attacks of my own at her, but to my surprise, she gracefully dodged my claws from touching her. We continued throwing, dodging and blocking attacks until our weapons clanged loudly against each other once again. So far, we were almost neck-in-neck and I was impressed of the pinkette's progress. However, I was going easy on her because I didn't want to hurt injure her greatly, so the depths of her abilities were still kind of unknown to me.

In other words, I had to hit her at her weakest just to keep her down without causing extreme damage. That was when I noticed a big bruise taped on her upper arm above one of her two elbow wrists. It kind of made me curious because the only possibility of her receiving this injury was that battle against Orochimaru and Naruto. But it was never disclosed that Sakura had any part in the match, so how could she get such an injury if she wasn't a part of the battle. It then raised the question of the intensity of the fight between the two. Back to the point, this bruise on her arm was a jackpot for me; one strike there was sure to do the trick.

Without hesitation, I used my flexibility to lift my leg and strike hardly at the dark bruise. I then heard Sakura cry in pain as she gritted her teeth to hold back on showing any weakness, although she wasn't doing a good job at it. The pinkette jumped a few feet away from me as a precaution to regain herself as I allowed her to take her time. For some reason, she lowered herself to the ground in a crouching position as she eyed me hardly which raised an eyebrow. She was waiting for something, but what exactly?

Suddenly, I felt a familiar yet unidentified chakra erupting right behind me; it felt like someone just activated a jutsu at me. I gasped in realization when it hit me right away: I totally forgot about the jonin who was leading in their mission. Not only that, their plan all along was to distract me so that they could physically capture me since it crossed their minds that I wouldn't budge.

I swiftly turned to see what headed towards me, and I was baffled to see large lengths of wood branching out and reaching right to me. The second I was about to make my escape, the wood rapidly wrapped itself around my whole body until I could move a muscle. I looked down at myself to see the situation I was stuck in, and all I saw was wooden branches that enveloped my body, restricting my movements. Smart plan, I had to admit. I lifted my stare towards Sakura who now had a cocky look in her eyes as she lifted herself off of the ground, holding her bruise that I inflicted more pain on it.

"Very sneaky of you, Sakura…" I complimented with a small smirk. "Your combat skills improved as well…"

Sakura said nothing and instead looked at me with a hard, serious look. I then turned my attention to my captor who was responsible in binding my movements. I glanced over my shoulder at the Leaf jonin who activated this jutsu who still made the jutsu's hand sign as he continued to pump his chakra to strengthen the wood around me.

"I thought Lord First was the only wielder of the Wood Style, but I guess I was wrong…" I stated monotonously, then placed a microscopic smirk on my lips. "Not bad… for a runner-up…"

"This jutsu will keep you from moving even the slightest…" The jonin gloated, narrowing his eyes at me. "It's over for you, Katsumi. You're coming back with _us_ to the Leaf."

"Oh, that's really cute…" I sarcastically commented, staring at him coyly. "You think that I'm actually _done_ for."

Both Sakura and the jonin raised an eyebrow suspiciously at my words. With a cocky smile, I turned on my Sharingan and focused my chakra to the long claws of my hand gear. Both ninja gaped at my new demeanor and my bright crimson eyes as they were frantic to figure out a way to stop me. Unfortunately for them, it was too late. I used my chakra to finely sharpen my claws and gracefully freed myself from the wood jutsu by spinning out of its grasp.

"Impossible! I made sure her movements are bounded…!" The jonin gaped in awe, watching me as I continued to soar in the air.

I used my wind jutsu to lift me off of the ground, away from danger. I watched their appalled looks from above with entertainment as my bladed claws were cloaked in chakra. I also grabbed the attention of Naruto, Sai, and even Sasuke to which I gave all of them a proud grin. I flew out of the large crater and landed on the edge of it as my brother followed suit and hopped free. Once we were at a safe distance away from our opponents, Sasuke made a quick series of hand signs. Since I still had my Sharingan activated, I read all of the hand seals and was surprised that we was going to use his strongest jutsu; he was planning on killing all of them.

"Sasuke, that jutsu—!"

"I'm putting an end to all of this." He concluded sternly as I felt him funneling his chakra. "It's over!"

He was actually _serious_!

"No, Sasuke! Don't do it!" I demanded, trying to give him second thoughts.

But since Sasuke was being _Sasuke_ , he didn't listen to reason and did what he planned on doing. The Leaf ninja watched in horror while I anxiously watched my brother raising his hand in the air, calling forth his jutsu.

But before his jutsu was fully activated, a familiar man arrived in the nick of time and grabbed Sasuke wrist tightly, preventing him from doing any big jutsu. Irritated, the raven shot a glare aside to the snake, not at all pleased that he stopped him from showing all of us his new power. Orochimaru returned his glare with a calm but serious look on his face; despite all means, the snake wanted to remind the Uchiha boy that he was in charge no matter the circumstances.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you… Sasuke…" The Sanin grinned deviously.

"Let _go_ …" The Uchiha male gritted angrily, not liking the snake touching him never mind grabbing.

"Hey…!" Another familiar voice spoke up out of nowhere as I tried to find the person responsible for speaking in that tone.

Like Orochimaru, his grey haired subordinate magically appeared beside me. By the looks of it, Kabuto wasn't too pleased by Sasuke's current attitude.

"I told you to watch your tone when speaking to Lord Orochimaru." He remarked coldly, sharpening his glare at the raven.

"Why are you guys here?" I blurted out the question, still stunned that these two came out of nowhere.

"We were watching you two fighting against them." Kabuto answered simply, indicating our former comrades then eyeing the raven. "We noticed that things were getting out of control when your brother over there decided to take matters into his own hands and kill everyone."

"Hmph…" Sasuke grunted in response, looking away and laid his eyes on the ninja down below.

"As tempting as it is to get rid of them, it's better if you let them to live…" Orochimaru advised lowly then smirking down at the Leaf team. "They're doing an exceptional job in stopping the Akatsuki and killing them off as well. We share a common enemy, so we should let them continue stopping them to make it easier for us to achieve our goals…"

"As surprising as it sounds… he has a point, Sasuke…" I agreed gently, keeping my face hard as said person eyed me firmly. "If we let them kill the Akatsuki one by one, they won't be as strong and would weaken their chances. Meaning… it could also weaken _Itachi_ …"

Though no one could see it, I saw my brother's eyebrow twitch by hearing our oldest sibling's name. I knew right there that what had been said was enough to stop him from killing his own kin. With that, Orochimaru freed his wrist from his grasp and resorted in staring daggers at the Leaf ninja who were now eyeing us as if they saw a demon.

"Now that's settled, there's no point in staying any longer…" Orochimaru stated with a smile, glaring at his enemies. "Let's head on out to the next lair…"

Without hesitation, both the snake and Orochimaru vanished in a second while leaving Kabuto and myself behind. Once the coast was clear of those two, he moved closer to and—for whatever stupid reason—placed a kiss on my cheek. I prevented the urge to jump like a startled child, but I wasn't able to hide the slight blush on my cheeks. Lucky for me, none of the Leaf shinobi noticed my flustered face, but they did saw that act of affection that just happen a moment ago.

Of course, the first critic of this was the blonde knucklehead.

"HEY! Stay AWAY from her, you BASTARD!" He barked in rage, clearly showing his loathe for the bookworm.

"Why should I?" He smirked mockingly, snaking an arm around my waist and pulling me even closer to him. "There's nothing wrong showing my significant other some affection, right?"

Not only four eyes was making Naruto mad, but he too was pissing me off for a different reason. We both agreed to keep our partnership a secret from anyone, and that included those from the Leaf. But instead, dumbass went ahead and showed his affection for me in _front_ of my former teammates which included a jinjuriki that could lash out its beast's power at any moment. Either Kabuto didn't know how to keep a promise or he was simply being an ass because he unfortunately had the freedom.

"Significant other?" I heard Sakura repeating Kabuto, then her bright green eyes widened in horror when she realized what he meant. "No, don't tell me that—!"

"You're right, Sakura." Kabuto acknowledge with a wicked smirk. "Your precious Katsumi is with _me_."

"You psychopathic _pedophile_!" Naruto spat lividly, almost on the verge in letting his anger get the best of him. "Katsumi, why the hell would you ever even _consider_ him as—!?"

"Why would I not? I'm allowed to do anything I please." I interjected simply, slightly letting myself get defensive.

"But…" I heard the pinkette wanting to speak her mind in this topic and I gave her my ears. "But, what about Neji?"

"What _about_ Neji?" I inquired hardly, raising an eyebrow at her for mentioning his name.

Hearing my tone made her falter a bit, however she seemed to be able to continue this conversation.

"Well, according to him, you said that you guys aren't over with and that you're just taking a break from one another so—."

"I don't know if you know this, but things change…" I told her simply. "Yes, we were separated but I didn't necessarily said that I would come back to him; I said that I would see him in the future. I made that clear to him, and he understands the situation."

"I understand, but still…"

"Besides, I never expected him to wait for me nor I wait for him. The reason why I broke things off with him solely because I wanted him to find someone who's better for him" I cut her off again, not wanting to hear anything.

"But, Katsumi! Neji still cares about you and is still waiting for your return!" Naruto then exclaimed angrily. "I swore to him that I'll bring you back to him so that you guys can be together!"

"Well, don't bother yourself anymore." I told him firmly. "I've moved on with my life, and so should he…"

That response wasn't the type of response they were expecting from me. But it was what it was, and they had to accept it just like I had.

"End of discussion." I announced hardly and turned my heel, facing my back to them. "Let's go, Kabuto."

"Right." He nodded and we both vanished before anything else could be said from my friends.

* * *

As Kabuto and I soared through the trees towards the new lair, my mind went back to what I said about moving on from my relationship from Neji. I thought that my feelings for him faded months after I settled in but when his name was mentioned, it brought back old feelings and memories I had of him. He was very polite, mannerly, gentle, considerate, and such a gentleman for his age but he had his days where he was more loose and comfortable. Despite being a religious person, he showed his affection and care for me in his own unique way and I missed that, to be honest.

I glanced at Kabuto, who was leading the both of us to the other lair since I had no clue of its location. When it came to four eyes, I always felt comfortable to be myself when I was around him and he always seemed to not mind my attitude nor personality. I knew that I could be a hard person to be around and from past experiences, it made me too strong to the point where I kept others at arms' length and not let the wall I built up crumble. Kabuto knew of this yet he still continued to be by my side and accept me for who I was. He was just so loyal to me and I always had been thankful of having deep inside; he showed that he was willing to wait for me and supported me in anything.

However, that doesn't change the fact that I was angry at him for blowing our secret partnership to the Leaf ninja; it doesn't help that half of the team were my close friends, especially. Now that they knew that I was with Kabuto, either they would report the news to Lady Hokage and hunt him down for "dating a ninja who was rogue to the Leaf", or they would me in the bingo books. Apparently, that doesn't really matter to me at the moment because I was mostly curious of how Neji himself was going to react. True, I told him that I might see him again and would continue what we had, but time had passed and things changed. Besides I was twelve at the time and I had no clue how to deal with it properly to begin with. Back to the point, the Hyuga male wouldn't be upset with me not wanting to get back together as much he was of me being with Kabuto. I knew it was sort of low of me for dating one of the most heartless, coldest villains out there, but I didn't care; he and no one knew him as much as I did so they should mind their own business.

And what about Sasuke? What would happen if this news reached his ears? What would I do then? He and I hadn't discussed about that disagreement we had earlier so his feelings were still pretty raw from it. It wouldn't help at all if he heard from someone else that his little sister was dating Orochimaru's subordinate who was years older than her. That was another thing that I had on my mind and couldn't shake off.

That damn jerk had one thing to do: don't tell _anyone_ about us. Either he was straight up stupid and hollow or he simply was a psychopath who simply couldn't give any sort of f**k about anyone. It was his fault for not keeping his mouth shut and because of him, I would take the fall for it and be hunted down by every single one of my friends. If push comes to shove, there was no doubt that I would use four eyes as my shield.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the lack of detail, but I figured you guys already know what goes down in this fight so I focused on the details that had to do with Katsumi herself. I'll see you next time!**


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm back with another chapter. More like a filler chapter but don't worry, things will get good in the next few chapters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Left Unsaid or In Shock**

I was sitting by my small wooden desk that was laying in the corner of my new room. That was my assumption because we had moved to numerous of hideouts and they were so similar, it was hard to tell if I had in this one once or twice. Either way, it was all the same to me. Though my room it bigger than my last one and more spacious so I was satisfied. When we got inside the lair, Orochimaru questioned us about being late. Kabuto simply answered by saying that the Leaf was holding them back, whatever that meant.

My mind was racing with thoughts and worries I had about Naruto and Sakura knowing that I was with Kabuto. Naruto wasn't as stupid as everyone gave him credit for and Sakura was a female with feelings… they could use this fact against me; they could use Kabuto to get to me and for me to surrender to them. Though I don't consider the bookworm as my "soulmate", he was important to me and I would feel guilty if anything happened to him. Not only that, my worries for Neji missing me was confirmed; he was still waiting for me to this day and I don't know how to process it all. I never thought that I meant _that_ much to him because he was so modest and religious. It made me to believe that finding his soulmate wasn't that important to him. I must've overlooked that.

Regardless, I had moved on and focus on the fact that I found someone else. I still cared about Neji and held the memories of him and me together, but that was that.

The next time I got the chance to see him was unknown, but if and when I do, I only saw him as a good friend.

The sudden sound of knocking on my bedroom door startled me to the point where I almost fell off my seat. I was hesitant to open the door because I was simply no in the mood in getting up, walking to the door, and opening it to talk to someone when I would rather punch a wall until I broke my hand. But however was behind the entrance/exit, they were persistent and seemed to really want to talk to me. Exhaling in frustration, I marched my way to the door and hastily opened it. I was shocked, confused, and irritated to see that it was Kabuto who was behind the door.

"You know, you have guts knocking at my door like that at a time like this." I told him monotonously, narrowing my eyes at him while placing my hand on my hip.

I hadn't spoken to four eyes since we left the Leaf team behind. Even when we arrived to the new lair, I went my separate way because I just didn't want to talk to him after the stunt he pulled earlier.

"Are you still upset with me for what I did?" He asked innocently, though telling from the smirk he was giving me showed otherwise.

I kept my lips in a thin line as I furrowed my eyebrows on him, hinting that I wasn't joking. Kabuto got the message and held out his hands in front of him for defense.

"Okay, okay. But seriously, all jokes aside…" He stressed simply as his eyes gazed at me with truthfulness. "Let me in so I could properly talk to you…"

"Why should I?" I countered, not believing his sincerity.

"Because like you, I don't want others here seeing _this_ side of me…" He admitted gently. "The side that only you've seen…"

From experience, I understood completely where Kabuto was coming from, which made it a good argument. I nodded at him and moved aside so that he could easily walk into my room. He picked up the chair I just sat on before and moved it towards my bed. I allowed him to have the chair while I plopped myself comfortably on my bed, cross-legged. Once we had both settled, I waited patiently for him to speak.

"You haven't spoken to me since we left the old lair earlier today." He spoke broadly, looking at me blankly.

"I thought the reason was already obvious." I commented, cocking an eyebrow. "You literally told the Leaf shinobi—which included my closest friends—that I was your 'significant other' _after_ when we specifically agreed to not say a _word_ to _anyone_ , remember that?"

"Yes, I do." He nodded in confirmation.

"Then why the hell you told them, anyway?" I questioned in anger and confusion.

"We only made that deal just so that Sasuke and Lord Orochimaru won't find out." He answered, unfazed about my use of tone. "You didn't specify nor imply that the Leaf shouldn't know either."

"But, I said _anyone_ … including the Leaf Village." I corrected with a frown, folding my arms.

Kabuto sighed. "You're being a hypocrite, right now…"

Excuse him? Did he just called me a hypocrite?

I let out an offended laugh. "How am _I_ being a hypocrite?"

"You told me yourself that you don't care if they know about us, and you even assured me to not worry about them since you're not with them anymore." He explained expressionlessly. "Now you're upset at me for telling them that we're together after that conversation about not worrying about the knowing."

"I only said that because you were the one who was worried about the age gap." I argued, feeling as though I was being attacked.

"Did you see Naruto and Sakura's reaction?" He quickly asked me.

"Yes, I did. And I heard, smelled, and felt their presence. What's your point?" I sassed irritably.

"They never mentioned the age difference, Katsumi. They just didn't like the fact that we're together because they detest me, and they wanted Neji to be yours and not me." He briefly hypothesized.

"I still don't see your point, four eyes." I grumbled impatiently, resisting the urge to snap.

Kabuto sighed at my lack of patience for him. "They don't care about the age difference, nor did they seem to care about the regulations the Leaf has. Their only problem is that they strongly belief that you're with the 'wrong person'. So you shouldn't be upset with me because I _told_ them." He clarified.

"You still broke your promise, Kabuto." I remarked strongly, sounding more like I was hurt than mad.

Kabuto's eyes showed a glint of guilt then he reached his hand and grabbed my own.

"And I know that's wrong of me. Despite what I've said, I'm sorry… I really am…" He murmured apologetically, squeezing my hand.

"Look, I'm not particularly upset because you told them. It's just that Neji will now know where I stand in our relationship." I assured anxiously, bringing my gaze down.

No one had said anything after my response. Then, Kabuto decided he should say something.

"Are you not over him? Is that the problem?" He questioned coldly, sounding not angry but frustrated.

"Why ask that all of a sudden?" I questioned back even colder, sounding more defensive than I wanted.

"You tell me?" He encouraged harshly, sharpening his glare. "I mean, it kind of makes sense since you're worried about something that shouldn't be your concern."

"Just because it 'makes sense' doesn't mean it's true." I pointed out sternly, shooting him a strong stare.

Within a second, Kabuto's face fell and it made a hurt look. I raised an eyebrow on this because he became bipolar right in front of me in a second.

"Just answer my question, please." He begged lightly, his pupils looking to the side.

I sighed heavily. "Yes I'm over him and I've moved on with my life. The reason why I'm concerned of him is because if he figures out that I'm with you of all people, he would think that he was the reason I left and that I've betrayed not only the village but him on a personal level. You have to understand that I do still care for him…" I justified simply.

"Right…" He breathed, finally gathering himself up to look me in the eyes.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're the only person that I let in this much. Not even Neji knows everything. That shows just how important you are to me and how much faith I have in you." I huffed lightly, breaking a few walls down.

This made Kabuto much better as he glanced at me and smiled brightly.

"That means a lot coming from you…" He complimented happily, his thumb rubbing my hand.

As he was smiling at me, I noticed that Kabuto had his other hand close to his torso, gripping his pants tightly as if he was in pain but tried to hide it. He thought I would be that stupid to not notice this, but apparently he was the stupid one for thinking that I wouldn't catch him.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him suspiciously, eyeing him hardly.

Kabuto remained silent, not answering my question. His smile fell and his lips pushed themselves into a thin line.

"You're hurt…" I concluded, seeing the evidence in front of me.

"It's not serious though…" He insisted weakly, trying to drop the topic.

"Uh-uh, nice try." I refused smugly, getting off my bed. "Lie down on my bed."

"But, Katsumi—!"

"Shush, I don't want to hear your voice." I cut him off in annoyance. "Just get your ass on the bed before I make you."

Thanks to the little threat I gave him, Kabuto did what he was told and laid on his back with his head resting comfortably on my pillow. I performed a general examination by pressing down my fingers on his flesh, trying to find the injured area. I knew that it was somewhere around the lower torso, so I focused on that area. I kept on pushing down and poking his flesh until I pressed my fingers down on his abdomen, making him to yelp in pain.

"So, your stomach is the problem…" I mused thoughtfully, then I glanced at my patient. "Remove your shirt."

Kabuto obeyed me and remove his shirt ungrudgingly, exposing his built physique. I kept my attention on the matter at hand and studied the physical appearance of his abdomen. There was no blood or anything like that, however, a huge part of his top skin tissue was ripped off revealing tender, red muscle. I knew immediately that this wasn't good because there was no telling how long he had this injury, giving a lot of time for his body to contract an infection. What was shocking in all this was that it was just left there. Similar to myself, Kabuto's body was able to heal its damage itself by using his own chakra to do so. Why hadn't it heal itself? I knew his body needed time but it shouldn't take this long. Plus, Kabuto was a talented medic-nin and even if his body doesn't heal itself, he could manually do it himself. But he didn't.

"I've never seen an injury like this…" I commented thoughtfully, studying his tender, exposed skin.

"Me neither…" He responded in agreement.

I glanced at his and furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"Still, why didn't your body heal?" I questioned curiously.

"The damage was too great for body to heal in this span of time." He simply answered. "Even if my body heals externally, the internal injuries are probably more severe than originally thought."

"If that's the case, then why didn't you just heal this yourself?" I asked again, not understanding his logic.

"I didn't have the time, energy, nor chakra to fully treat myself." He answered.

There was still one more thing I wanted to know from the bookworm.

"How did you _get_ it?" I inquired solidly, being very stern to him.

The second I caught Kabuto hesitating to answer my question, I wasn't going to let him beat around the bush again.

"Kabuto, you have two options." I warned him threateningly. "Option One: answer my question. Option Two: I'll skin you alive until your whole body looks like that."

Kabuto knew right there I was being dead-serious, and wasted no time in answering my question.

"When we encountered Naruto and the others, the Nine-Tails inside Naruto took total control of him. I strongly believed that this was triggered by Lord Orochimaru mentioning Sasuke as his property." He answered, a bit shaken up from my threat. "He looked as if he was the miniature version of the Nine-Tails but with only four tails. I noticed that he was intended to kill Lord Orochimaru so I went ahead and attacked him, although I was instantly hit by his attack."

"Damn it, Kabuto! I thought I told you to _not_ hurt them." I exhaled I annoyance.

Kabuto knitted his eyebrows as my retort.

"First of all, I _didn't_ hurt any of them. Second of all, I already told you before that Lord Orochimaru and I will take drastic measures to protect ourselves and that's exactly what we did." He corrected me defensively.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"So, Naruto went ballistic on the snake?"

"Yes. To be honest, I was kind of intimidated…" He admitted softly.

I snorted cockily. "The great Kabuto Yakushi is scared, huh?" I mocked as I poked his cheek with my index finger.

Kabuto slapped my hand away from his face and frowned. "You would've been scared too if you were in my position."

"No I wouldn't because unlike you, I don't get a thrill in pissing people off to the point where they want to kill me." I wittedly countered, cupping my hands on my hips.

"You seem to piss off Sasuke a lot, lately." He muttered insultingly, though I heard exactly what that nerd said.

"Naruto had a good reason to want to kill both of you jerks. Sasuke, on the other hand, is being a little douche and you're letting him." I harshly argued.

"That was uncalled for, Kabuto…" I added unhappily, folding my arms.

"I know that. I'm sorry, okay…" He gently sulked, sounding apologetic enough.

"It's whatever, I guess…" I shrugged dully as I stretched my arms.

"Are you going to heal me now?" He asked promptly, giving me a look of expectation.

"Yeah, yeah… I am…" I assured in bore then placed both my hands on his tender abdomen.

The firm touch of my hands on his red skin caused him to hiss in pain, displaying just how excruciating and severe it was.

"Just stay calm, Kabuto. Okay?" I cooed hardly at him, giving him a bit of tough love.

"Easier said than done." He gritted painfully in reply. "It hurts and stings at the same damn time!"

I huffed at his complaint and funneled my chakra into my medical ninjutsu. I made sure that this jutsu was extensive so his inner and outer injuries were completely healed and gone. As I was treating his injury, I could hear the grunts and cries of pain coming from Kabuto. It was annoying because I simply couldn't stand it and my patience went so far—however on his defense I should've given him anesthesia so wouldn't feel anything, but I thought he was strong enough to go through it. It also sort of worried me a bit because he had high tolerance to pain like myself, and I saw in endured other injuries before but this one was a huge exception.

It took a while but I was finally able to bring that injury to remission. I never though healing a wound like this would take me this long. It reminded me just how strong the Nine-Tails spirit and how even more dangerous Naruto could be if it took control of him.

Kabuto sat up on my bed and examined the after results of my treatment. I was able to heal and repair the lost and damaged skin tissue on his stomach plus healing any other external injuries he might've had. I wasn't going to lie, it was harder than I thought because I had to use more chakra than I originally used since it was that bad and it didn't help that the snake's hideout absorbed chakra from anyone who was in it. Overall, this was one of the most extensive single treatment I had ever done.

"Feel better? Does it still hurt?" I asked him concernedly.

Kabuto glanced up at me and smiled gratefully. "Not at all. I've never felt any better."

"Good…" I breathed tiredly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Kabuto graciously scooted to give me more space to sit to which I accepted and made myself comfortable. Just before I was about to say something, the medic-nin wrapped me with his strong arms and hastily pulled me in until my lips were captured by his own. I was taken aback by this since it came out of nowhere. Then again this was Kabuto and he was known for surprises. I was finally able to calm myself down from complete shock and joined in the kiss. Our lips moved in sync with so much passion; the chemistry we had was unbelievable and we seemed to move in the same, perfect way. I had one arm around his neck while the other was stroking his chest. I slid closer to Kabuto until I was sitting on his lap as he pulled even closer to him.

"You… taste… so good…" He breathed lovingly in between kisses, holding me tightly in his arms against his bare chest.

I pulled away from his lips but I relaxed by head on his forehead as he breathed heavily on my face with his hot breath. Meanwhile, my left arm was positioned around his neck as my right hand cupped his cheek, caressing his smooth skin.

"You can be such a weirdo, you know that?" I commented in a sigh, adjusting my position on his lap.

"But being a 'weirdo' is one of the things that made you attracted to me." He remarked conceitedly as he threw me his smirk.

"Whatever…" I sighed as I rolled my eyes then leaned in towards his mouth again.

We exchanged loving kisses for another brief moment until I slightly pulled away while Kabuto went ahead and place light kisses on my neck. I placed my attention on his abs as my fingers playfully stroked them. He didn't seem to mind this as he pulled back from my neck and removed a small piece of my hair. He then started playing with it too.

"You know, earlier I mentioned you to Sasuke…" He spoke conversationally.

"What about it?" I asked uninterestedly, distracting myself with the sight and touch of his midsection.

"He was a lot quieter than before and a bit lost when I mentioned your name." He told me thoroughly. "I don't know, he was just acting strange."

"Tell me something I don't know…"

"Well, it's obvious that you said something that shaken him a bit. I can understand why, though…" He commented quietly, cocking his head to the side.

"You know I can _hear_ you." I exclaimed.

"What do _you_ think you said that might have caused him to be like that?" He asked curiously, waiting for my guess.

"I'm not really certain." I told him then I lifted my gaze to look at his dark eyes. "But if I had to guess, it's probably about me daring him to choose me or his need for revenge."

"Katsumi… that wasn't necessary…" He scolded disappointedly, giving me the look a parent gave to their child if they did something wrong.

"What?! Why are you acting like it's my fault?" I inquired defensively.

"Listen, I don't care if your brother's 'feelings' get hurt or whatever." He stated. "But giving him a decision like that is crossing the line. You're lucky you're his sister because if it was anyone else who said that to him, he'd kill you on the spot out of spite."

"Ew, you're just like Sasuke." I grimly replied, scrunching my face a bit to show my disgust.

"I'm not agreeing nor siding with him; I'm just stating my opinion, is all. Demanding him to choose between his goal and you is exactly like demanding me to choose either you or Lord Orochimaru." He contrasted simply, trying to clear the air.

"And who would _you_ choose?" I asked encouragingly, finding a new interest in knowing his answer.

" _Katsumi_ …" He gritted warningly.

"Okay, okay. My fault, but don't bring stuff like that up if you don't want to be interrogated." I briefly snapped, holding my hands up as a form of surrendering.

"Just watch what you're saying and who you're saying it to, okay. Being blunt all the time isn't a good thing." He nagged softly.

"I see myself more honest than blunt." I commented, folding my arms.

Kabuto rolled his eyes. "So what was his answer?" He then asked, dropping the topic for another.

"He refused to answer my question. Like you, he said that it's not fair of me for giving him options that were impossible to choose just one." I answered bluntly, sounding as though I was mocking him.

"Would it sound bad if I said that I expected something like that from him?" He asked cautiously.

"No, I don't blame you. I mean, I had some idea that he would be hesitant, but seeing it was much harder than I thought." I replied lowly, feeling a little sad.

I tried to distract myself with Kabuto's abs, but the owner of them noticed this right away and gripped my hand hardly as he tried to keep my focus in check.

"Don't feel upset about it. There's no doubt that he deeply cares and loves you. You just need to give him some time and when he's ready, he'll talk and explain everything you need to know." He soothed sweetly; his eyes told me he was telling me the truth.

"You talk as if you've _been_ through it yourself." I briefed as I cocked an eyebrow.

"You can say that." He replied with a soft smile. "I had an older brother named Urushi back when I used to live in the Leaf's Orphanage. We weren't blood-related, but we were brothers nonetheless. He was loud, brash, brazened, and he used to always pick on me for the fun of it. But deep down, I knew he loved me and would always stand by my side when I needed him the most. Just like Sasuke, he was very protective of me and solely wanted to keep me safe. I love and appreciate him to this day…"

"When's the last time you saw your brother?" I asked him.

Kabuto's face fell as he clenched his fists in guilt and regret. I waited patiently for him to answer my question but then I noticed the male struggling to contain his old feelings and emotions from the past. Then his tensed body relaxed and he looked at me with no expression.

"When I was assigned to that mission by Danzo…" He grunted lowly.

"Where is he now?"

"I have no clue. And honestly, I don't know if he's even alive…" He admitted discouragingly.

"I'm sorry, Kabuto…" I sulked sadly for him, locking my fingers with his for comfort.

"Don't be, I've learned to move on. All I'm trying to say is that no matter who Sasuke is and despite the things he's done, learn to appreciate him for being your older brother. I know for a fact that he loves and appreciates you a lot…" He advised strongly, gripping my hand tightly.

"Fine…" I huffed in defeat, earning a smile from the medic-nin.

"Good." He chirped.

Kabuto then turned to grab his shirt as I sat there staring at him, thinking deeply to myself. Once he was fully clothed, he removed himself off of the bed and walked towards the door. Before he exited my room, he side-glanced at me and smiled kindly.

"Goodnight, Katsumi…" He said sweetly.

"Yeah, night…" I returned the gesture.

He left it at that and left my room quietly, leaving me all alone in my room. I got up and quickly prepared for bed. I laid there on my back, staring hardly at the ceiling. I referred to what Kabuto told me before he left my room: learn to appreciate Sasuke. Thing was, I already do… at least I used to. Sasuke was with me threw my ups and downs when we were younger. Even when he was placed in a squad and I was working nonstop at the Leaf's Hospital, he would somehow always had time for me and hung out as friends. Despite him having a goal, I was his first priority and I was okay with that. But now, I felt different about him. I wasn't saying nor even _implying_ that I don't love him anymore; I loved him to death, no doubt. Not only had I still loved him so much I still _respected_ him as well just as much as I did in the past. Everything I felt for him was the same except I lost the appreciation I had for him. I appreciated for his mindset and what he stood for when we were young, but thanks to his urge to take out his revenge, he completely changed as a person and his mindset. He went as far to come out and say that he didn't care if Orochimaru took his body as his own. All he represented was hatred and revenge; it was beyond a goal, it was who he was.

Kabuto did had a point about appreciation was just as important as love, but it was hard to regain something that I had for my brother because of what he had become. And honestly, it apparently didn't mattered to Sasuke himself because he doesn't care enough about me to know that I appreciated him. Or maybe I was overreacting? Maybe I was the problem? Or maybe not because though Kabuto was very kind and gentle towards me, he was just as honest as I was; if I did something wrong, he would come forth and tell me that straight in the face. So I guess that meant Sasuke and I were both at fault in this?

Even though the situation wasn't healthy for our close relationship and despite what Kabuto said was true, I had learn to somewhat accept where Sasuke and I stood. I also had to learn to stop being the bigger person in all of our issues or else I would start resenting my own brother; he had to start taking responsibility for his actions and behaviour and if that meant never speaking to him again, then so be it.

We were flesh and blood to have each other's backs, not glued together as one person. If he couldn't do it, then why waste my energy on something that wouldn't be worth it for the both of us. It might sound stubborn and even childish, but that wasn't always a bad thing. I basically don't have my big brother with me anymore, which meant I had to grow independently.

The thoughts rushing within my head started to slow down as my eyes got heavier. It was then I knew it was time to put myself under a deep slumber.

* * *

 **Meanwhile Back At The Leaf:**

It was the third hour, yet I still couldn't believe what Naruto and Sakura told me and the rest of us about Sasuke and Katsumi. Personally, I couldn't really care less about him since he was nothing but a lost cause. What was appalling to me was the fact that she was together with that traitor and good-for-nothing, Kabuto. Of all people in this world, she just had to choose him. It was hurtful enough that she left the village, thus taking a break from us. But now I had to live with the fact that she was with that psychopath.

Was this all my fault though? Did she felt like I didn't care about her as much as I actually do? Did she felt like I was with her because she was an Uchiha?

It was true, the main branch wanted me to go forth with my "plan" and prayed that I married the girl to have exceptional offspring. But it was more than just talented babies to me. I really did cared about her and I still do. I hoped that someday we would meet again and stay together until we died. But by the tone Naruto and Sakura gave us, my dreams were stripped from me before my eyes.

" _Blain's with KABUTO!?" I heard Kiba spat in disgust as Akamaru barked angrily._

" _Are you_ sure _about that, you guys? Maybe he's messing with you or something." Tenten assumed skeptically, not really fazed by all this. "I mean, it isn't the first time he has."_

" _I SWEAR on my LIFE she's with that bookworm!" Naruto barked, enraged. "He even said so himself!"_

" _He also told us that he was a Leaf genin and even signed up for the chunin exam. So maybe this is another one of Kabuto's lies…" Ino pointed out assumingly, also doubting this fact._

" _Ino's right! Blain would never trust someone as low as Kabuto! I believe that with the power of YOUTH!" Lee exclaimed confidently, throwing his fists and added a kick to the air._

" _But even I heard Kabuto saying that Blain's his 'significant other'!" Sakura insisted certainly, trying too to convince the gang._

" _Of course, Blain's a significant other! She's important to all of us because she's THAT amazing!" Lee chirped proudly._

" _Oh, for the love of—she meant significant, as in_ girlfriend _, Lee!" Tenten snapped exasperatedly, tired of our teammate's hyperactivity._

 _I couldn't blame her, but my mind was on other things right now._

" _Oh…" Lee sighed disappointedly, finally calming down as he sulked down on the ground._

 _Again, I could sympathize as I was feeling the same from within._

" _Plus, Blain did nothing to discard nor even deny his claims! She even confirmed his statement and didn't seem to have a problem with us not accepting it." Sakura added persuasively._

" _So… it is true then…" Lady Hinata meekly sighed, lowering her gaze._

" _But why would she ever even CONSIDER a nerd like him! Forget about being a heartless criminal and Orochimaru's servant!" Kiba barked lividly, getting angrier and angrier every time he had spoken._

" _Kiba, just shut up already." I suddenly heard Shino's voice, sounding irritated by his teammate's yelling. "You yelling isn't helping the situation at all."_

" _YOU'RE the one who needs shut up, Shino!" Kiba turned to him, taking out his rage on his closest comrade. "It's not my fault that I care so much about her than you do!"_

" _For your information, I care about her as a friend just as much as you do. The only difference is that I'm not_ jealous _of Kabuto, unlike you." Shino countered calmly, furrowing his eyebrows at him._

 _Kiba flinched at Shino's comment which seemed to insult him very much. It was true that the Inuzuka male had feelings for the girl since they were children. It wasn't until the month break during the chunin exam that he told his feelings to her. The only thing I recalled from her was that she was awfully flattered but she told him the truth and said she saw him no more than a close friend. It must've stung for Kiba but he eventually learned to accept it and move on. After that, he discovered along with the rest of the others that we were a couple. Since then, he was slightly sour about it but at some point gotten over it. The fact that it was brought up at this time where she herself was the topic of conversation, it wasn't really a smart move from Shino's side. Just looking at the brunette with a nerve popping out of his forehead was enough to tell anyone that he was more than livid and wanted to kill someone, particularly the Aburame._

" _You take that back before I'LL—!"_

" _He's right, Kiba." A familiar, tired voice spoke up and all of our attention turned to our laziest friend in the group._

" _Shikamaru…" said fuming brunette growled angrily at the Nara male, ready to kill him too if he said the wrong thing._

" _Being angry and throwing a tantrum isn't going to help at all." He simply stated, glancing tiredly at him. "Stop making it a big deal; it's not the end of the world…"_

" _Funny… this is coming from a guy who he too had feelings for Blain." Kiba seethed cockily at the lazy Nara. "Even someone like you know that this IS a big deal! We all know how controlling Kabuto is; he's just as bad as that snake. There's a good chance that he's just using Blain or even manipulating her to do his bidding!"_

" _I highly doubt that's the case…" Shikamaru critiqued quickly._

 _Everyone seemed a bit confused as to why he would say that in a spilt second._

" _How do you know that, Shikamaru?" Choji asked curiously, eating his favourite snack._

" _It's common sense when you think about it. Orochimaru's been on the down low lately, staying quiet for about three years; that was the last time he made a move. Now, whatever he's planning most likely has nothing to do with us. Kabuto—like you mentioned, Kiba—is Orochimaru's faithful assistant, meaning he'll only take out bad doings if Orochimaru ordered him. Unless he was told to, he would do nothing to harm anyone and anything." He explained meticulously._

" _Okay. But what has that got to do with Blain?" Ino pitched in her question._

" _Kabuto won't manipulate her unless he was told to by Orochimaru. Remember, he only wanted Sasuke and Blain was just a bonus he got and possibly a backup. Since I highly doubt Orochimaru has a specific interest in her, it's more unlikely that he would tell Kabuto to go and brainwash her." He answered comprehensively._

" _So, are you certain that Kabuto won't control or use her as his puppet?" Naruto questioned doubtfully, still worried about his childhood friend._

 _Shikamaru eyed the group, specifically at the blonde who parted his lips with a blank look on his face._

" _Naruto, you know just as much as I do that Blain is very stubborn and headstrong; she lets no one, and I mean NO one to manipulate her to doing something she doesn't want to do." He stated confidently then he looked at all of us. "Even if Orochimaru and Kabuto wanted her to be their little lapdog, it will take a lot of sweat, blood, and energy to achieve that and break her down. And believe me when I say this—and by the words of Blain herself—she is nobody's b***h."_

 _Everyone, including myself, was taken off guard by Shikamaru's use of foul language. We were all aware of her habit of cursing but that was something she grew up experiencing so we couldn't blame her. Plus, it was a part of her personality and we loved every single part of it._

" _Besides, Kabuto wouldn't try to control her for the fun of it. The only purpose he has is Orochimaru; whatever he wants is what Kabuto wants." He yawned tiredly after his strong speech, going back to his lazy ways. "If he doesn't need Blain to do his bidding nor use her for his experiments, then Kabuto wouldn't do anything necessarily wrong. I guarantee you all that she won't let that happen to herself. Plus, I know that deep down her heart belongs to the village and she won't allow herself to hurt the village and her beloved ones…"_

" _What are you implying, Shikamaru?" Sakura asked hardly, knitting her pink eyebrows. "Are you telling us that Kabuto isn't up to no good and that he… he genuinely has_ feelings _for her?"_

" _Basically, yes…" He confirmed lowly as he closed his eyes; he looked as if he was about to nap._

" _Are you also implying that Blain has feelings for him too?" Tenten pitched in her hypothesis._

" _That's BULLS**T!" The same enraged brunette spat before Shikamaru got the chance to speak._

" _Looks like Blain's not the only one with a cussing habit…" Shino mused mockingly; it was hard to distinguish if whether or not he was trying to provoke him._

 _Either way, he provoked him. And he did a perfect job doing it._

" _I'm literally done with your crap, Shino!" He shouted fumingly, then turned his attention towards Shikamaru. "And you! I DARE you to say that Blain has feelings for that dweeby psychopath!"_

" _You didn't give me the chance to say_ anything _, Kiba." Shikamaru calmly pointed out, not fazed by anything in front of him._

" _Because I know for a fact that you were going to say that she does, which isn't true! It CAN'T be true! She's way out of Kabuto's league! Hell, barely anyone can stand to par with her!" He argued, exasperated. "There's no way a guy like him could have a heart or any sort of humanity to love someone! And I swear on my life, I'll be DAMNED if Blain caught feelings for a heartless, vindictive bastard like him. And I don't care if you or any of you say, there's no way that—!"_

" _Kiba, just SHUT THE HELL UP FOR ONCE!" Naruto spat, incensed. It seemed that the blonde had finally had it with Kiba's aggravating attitude._

 _Everyone was stunned as their heads turned to the knucklehead of the group. Naruto had his lips pursed in rage as his shiny, bright blue eyes turned a bit duller than usually. This was the most serious the blonde had ever been, so we were both surprised and a bit scared. The boy was simply one or the other and never in between; he was either very happy, sad, or mad. Right now, he was very mad._

" _And why should I, huh!?" Kiba snapped infuriatingly, turning his anger towards him now._

" _I've had it with you talking as if you know everything that's going on, when really you're as thoughtless as you sound!" He grimly hissed, glaring daggers at the brunette._

" _Big words for a big knucklehead!" The Inuzuka boy mocked harshly._

" _Say whatever you want about me! But don't you EVER talk about Sasuke and_ especially _Blain as if you've known them your entire life! You have no right in judging and determining things that are true or false without knowing anything!" The Uzumaki boy responded exasperatedly, clenching his fist._

" _Why the hell are you so defensive in the first place!?" Kiba questioned irritably._

" _Because Sakura and I were the ones who went on this mission and saw Kabuto and Blain together! We were the ones who heard them both say that they were a couple! We were the ones who actually TRIED to bring them back! We were the ones who witnessed this all, not you! So stop getting pissed off at everyone just because you don't like hearing the hard truth!" Naruto answered, inflamed with anger._

" _Kiba… Naruto…" Lady Hinata breathed sadly; she hated seeing her closest friends yell at one another._

" _I know what you mean, Hinata. But what can we do, really?" Sakura agreed softly, watching the two shout from the sidelines._

" _So you're telling me that you're not the least upset that one of our closest friends is in love with a cold-blooded criminal!? And you're not even concerned about her at all!? Some friend YOU are!" Kiba then scoffed, daring to move closer to the blonde._

" _I'm MORE than just_ upset! _I feel betrayed and hurt because she's my first and closest childhood friend I've known for the longest time! She was always there for me and protected me from others who shunned or harassed me, from kids at the Academy to adults on the streets! She's more than a friend to me; she's mentally my big sister! She was the first person to ever put faith in me and believed that one day I'll become Hokage! Because of her, she prevented me from making so many mistakes in the past!" Said blonde explained passionately, sounding more emotional than angry now._

 _Kiba's face softened a bit when he heard Naruto's speech. I also noticed that the others were listening intently to the blonde's words._

" _That's why I want to bring her back to the Leaf Village: to stop her from making mistakes that she could regret for her entire life!" Naruto's tone softened a bit as his pupils dropped. "Yes, I don't like her being with Kabuto and yes I HATE the fact that she has feelings for him! But none of that matters to me right now! All I care about is to bring her and Sasuke back to the Leaf so we could all be together again!" The blonde added strongly, his voice was covered in determination._

" _Well, you're not the_ only _one who cares about her. In fact, I once had feelings for her, if you didn't know." Kiba remarked firmly, no longer sounding as mad as before. "She was one of the rare few that I can relate to. We're both brash, blunt, and express ourselves without giving any sort of damn what others think of us. After she rejected me, I learned to love her as a sister and I can't help but be protective and concerned of her. Now that I'm hearing she's with that bastard, I'm feeling all sorts of emotions at once I just can't process it all!"_

" _We all understand, Kiba…" We all turned our attention back to Shikamaru, including the blonde and brunette males. "You too, Naruto…"_

" _But that still doesn't give you a right to go mad and take out your frustration out on your friends. Friends are supposed to get through stuff like this together without conflict between one another." He told us thoughtfully, referring to Naruto and Kiba._

" _My bad (Sorry)." They both muttered apologetically in unison._

 _I looked around and by the look on their faces, they seemed to forgive the two for their behaviour a moment ago._

" _But I wanna know something, Shikamaru." Kiba then suddenly spoke, grabbing the attention of everyone once again. "Do you personally_ care _about Blain together with Kabuto?"_

" _Yeah, he's right." Ino spoke up in agreement, looking softly at her teammate. "You've had feelings for her since forever, too…"_

" _Of course, I care. She's one of my closest friends…" He answered dryly._

" _Don't give us THAT, Shikamaru!" Kiba snapped in annoyance. "I know full well—!"_

" _Know_ what _? As if you of all people know what I'm feeling inside…" said male interrupted coldly, earning a wince from Kiba._

" _Shikamaru…" I heard Ino breathed sadly, feeling sorry for her dear friend._

 _Said friend heard her too, and sighed deeply._

" _Let me set the record straight." He dourly proclaimed, wanting the brunette to listen carefully. "Yes, I had fallen for Blain for so long and really did at some point_ loved _her. But that was a long time ago, and I learned to forget about her because though she means so much to me, she was holding me back from developing as a shinobi and a man. Thanks to her absence, I couldn't be happier and stronger than ever before…"_

 _Everyone, including Kiba, were in awe of the Nara male's statement, seeing the extent of his development he went through since she left._

" _Despite this however, I still love her as a close friend and the thought of her living with a vindictive, cold-hearted criminal like Orochimaru and the thought of her falling for a psychopathic, dweeby, bookworm like Kabuto really makes my blood boil." He added grimly, gritting his teeth in anger then glanced at all of us. "Like me, we love and appreciate Blain for the things she's done for us. We have to return the favor as her close friends to save her from the pits of hell… and bring her and Sasuke back home where they truly belongs…"_

" _You're absolutely right, Shikamaru!" Ino chirped confidently, holding up a determined fist._

" _Right on!" Choji agreed, then went back to chewing his food._

" _What are friends for, right?" Tenten sighed with a smile, shrugging at the matter._

" _W-We'll bring Blain back home no matter what! And S-Sasuke too!" Lady Hinata beamed shyly with a bright smile._

" _YES! And we'll do that with the power of YOUTH!" Lee announced assertively, fighting the air with his fists._

 _I examined everyone and noticed that everyone's mood was lifted thanks to Shikamaru's words of encouragement. There was no flaws on the male's intelligence and skills in oral speech. However, my mood wasn't lifted from the gloominess on my face; I hadn't said a single word since the conversation was brought up because the thought of Katsumi alone clenched my chest like it hadn't been clenched before._

" _I gotta give credit where credit is due, Shikamaru." Kiba smiled apologetically at him, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Sorry for giving you a hard time; I was being such a jerk. But, I really respect you for keeping your cool in a tough situation."_

" _Don't sweat it, Kiba…" said Nara male acknowledged with a lazy smile._

" _Oh, Kiba…!" Lady Hinata smiled gleamingly, happy for her friend admitting he was in the wrong._

" _I'm surprised he has_ any _respect." Shino abruptly remarked in a low tone, standing beside his female teammate._

" _I HEARD THAT, SHINO!" Kiba snapped, offended by his comrade's words._

 _There was a brief moment where we all watched the Inuzuka boy throwing a death glare at his teammate, until another person became a new interest in the group._

" _Why do you still have that gloomy look, Sakura?" Ino asked precipitately, studying her old friend._

 _This made everyone else in the gang glance specifically at a certain pinkette who indeed had a depressed look on her face. Naruto, who stood beside his comrade, gazed aside curiously at her._

" _It's just that… I don't think bringing her back will be as easy as we hope…" She hesitantly answered, not wanting to look at any of us and decided to keep her eyes on the ground._

" _What do you mean, Sakura?" Naruto asked in confusion, disliking the opinion from the pinkette._

 _Said female glanced at her blonde teammate and looked at him sadly. It looked as if she could only look him in the eye and no one else._

" _You know what I mean, Naruto." She prompted softly, pushing Naruto to remember something as well. "Even she said it herself: she's doesn't want to come back to the Leaf."_

" _But I thought she never wanted to leave the village in the first place. Sasuke was the one who persuade her, wasn't he?" Tenten commented, a bit confused._

" _Apparently, her reason was that it wasn't a good idea to come back after joining forces with Orochimaru. She also added that it wouldn't be the same if she came back because she lost everyone's trust and respect, including ours…" Sakura told her as she gave everyone a brief look. "Not to mention the possible punishment she'll get for betraying the village…"_

" _But she hasn't lost our trust nor respect, though!" Kiba cut in disagreement. "We all know what went down and that Sasuke was responsible for the stunt. She has to understand that what happened in the past doesn't change how we see her as a person…"_

" _But what about the consequences she may face?" Shino questioned the brunette tediously._

" _Then we'll convince Lady Tsunade to let her off the hook!" He shot at him, assured him. "She never really intentionally betrayed us, so the Hokage will understand and let her down easy."_

" _But not everyone in the village is as forgiving as her friends, Kiba." Ino pointed out thoughtfully, placing a hand on her hip. "They'll probably be the ones who'll give her a hard time for her actions, which is why she refused to come back maybe."_

" _Yeah, that's true." Choji agreed sadly, halting his action of chewing. "I heard she was resented by her own family and basically had no one except Sasuke; the possible resentment will be unbearable for her, especially if she doesn't have her big brother. I personally think he's the reason she continues to stay with Orochimaru…"_

" _You're right, Choji." Shikamaru acknowledged lowly. "In fact, I strongly believe that Sasuke is the one thing that is making her not wanting to leave…"_

" _W-Well, they are brother and sister s-so there's no surprise she doesn't want to leave her big brother…" Lady Hinata commented shyly, looking nervously down._

" _Was one of her reasons for not returning has anything to do with Sasuke?" Shikamaru then asked curiously, regarding Naruto and Sakura specifically._

" _We too mentioned that she won't face any punishment for her doings. If I recall correctly, she said that she didn't like the fact that Sasuke could pay for what he's done on his part." The pinkette answered. "It wouldn't make anything better if he takes all the blame, at least that's what she said."_

" _So, Sasuke isn't holding her back then." Tenten concluded with a huff._

" _Then again, she probably wants us to think that." Shino thought aloud, earning everyone's attention. "It's reasonable for her to want to stay with Sasuke because they are siblings. And, like Choji mentioned, he has been by her side through thick and thin."_

" _But, knowing Blain… she doesn't allow others to influence her decisions and wishes, including Sasuke." Lee commented, furrowing his thick eyebrows._

" _That really sucks." Kiba exhaled tiredly, resting his head on his linked hand. "If Blain really wanted to come back, it would make bring Sasuke back a lot easier since he's so stubborn and she's literally the only person that could persuade him."_

" _Well, not exactly. At least, not any longer…" Naruto replied disappointedly, his blue eyes staring hardly on the ground. "She said that she wasn't going to bother convincing Sasuke to come back or anything for that matter. Whatever Sasuke wanted to do, she isn't going to stop him."_

" _So, Sasuke isn't the reason for her wanting to stay with Orochimaru…" Shikamaru concluded briefly, sounding a bit disappointed._

" _If that's the case, then that means…" Ino muttered sadly, stopping at midsentence._

" _Yep…" Tenten sighed nonchalantly._

" _I guess it's true, then…" Lady Hinata breathed miserably._

" _Blain genuinely doesn't wish to come back; she's on Orochimaru's side… which basically makes her our enemy…" Shino commented dryly._

" _Damn it, Shino!" Kiba snapped exasperatedly. "Why do you also have to be so negative?"_

" _I'm not being negative. I'm simply stating the facts…" He calmly amended his teammate, not fazed by his tone._

" _Some friend you are…" The brunette murmured begrudgingly, crossing his arms._

" _Well, I don't give a damn if Blain and Sasuke are considered our 'enemy'!" Naruto then claimed determinedly. "I'm going to bring them back to the Hidden Leaf Village, no matter what! They're my friends and Sakura and I share a special bond with them… a bond that makes us a family and SQUAD 7!"_

" _Naruto's right. Sasuke and Blain are our friends too, and as their friends, we have to bring them back home so we can all be together like the good old days back at the Academy and even the chunin exam." Shikamaru agreed confidently, putting on a bright face._

" _Right!" The whole gang said in unison._

 _As I watched everyone's mood brightened up by the encouragement they fed off from one another, I stood a bit in the background silently, keeping my thoughts and feelings to myself. I honestly believed that no one would notice that something was off with me because I had my usually straight-face on. Unfortunately, there were those whose eyes were quicker than I hoped._

" _Hey, you okay, Neji?" I heard Tenten's voice calling for my attention as she gently nudged my arm._

 _I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around only to see that everyone was looking directly at me. They too wanted to know since they just realized that I hadn't said a word since the conversation first started._

" _I'm fine." I assured simply, not giving anything away for them to think otherwise._

" _Are you sure about that, Neji?" Shikamaru questioned doubtfully, giving him a questioning look. "You haven't said a single word during the discussion about Sasuke nor even Blain."_

" _Yeah. I thought that out of all of us, you would be the most upset about it…" Kiba cut in in agreement, also doubting that the situation didn't upset me at all._

 _It did upset me, but I didn't want to show my personal feelings to everyone. It was both pointless and immature._

" _Well, I'm_ not _upset. It is what it is, and there's nothing I can do about it…" I firmly corrected then turned on my heel, indicating that I was done with the matter. "It's getting late. I should take my leave now…"_

 _Without hesitation, I walked off without turning to see the looks on everyone's faces. I didn't wanted them to know how hurt I was about it all because it was so unlike me. To make matters worse, I strongly believed that it was because of this, Katsumi wanted to leave._

I was now laying on my bed, thinking really hardly to myself. I continued to scold myself for being so weak and not able to stop Katsumi from leaving the village. I regretted letting my feelings for her get the best of me. If I just broke down all of my walls and not let my complex get in between us, she would've had a reason to stay. But nonetheless, she left the village, broke ties with her loved ones, and—worst of all—got together with Kabuto.

I wasn't as confused and angered that she fell for a criminal as Kiba, because I felt like it was because I wasn't good enough for Katsumi that made her drawn towards him. If only I stopped for a minute and gave the ravenette to speak her mind and feelings she carried deep within her, then things would've been slightly different. Like everyone else in the group, I loved her but as her boyfriend at the time, I didn't know what to feel. I wasn't committed to her as much as she was committed to me. I didn't show enough compassion and care for her. I wasn't being originally because of the corrupted customs of the Hyuga household. I knew she understood this because she came from the Uchiha household that carried similar customs, but unlike her, she went against them and became her own person. I dreaded for that, but I was too busy being a prodigy I dismissed her as much as possible while taking her patience for granted.

It begged the question of how Kabuto was treating Katsumi to begin with. Knowing her, she wouldn't want to date obnoxious, arrogant people—then again, she still had feelings for the likes of me who was obnoxious and arrogant. There was a possibility that Kabuto was just like myself: he had a façade that he showed to everyone publically, but was a completely different person when alone or with Katsumi for that matter. In that case, it made sense as to why she fell for him.

But it didn't mattered what the reasons were: she was gone with another man, losing the chance in redeeming myself to her. As much as it hurt my heart, I had to let her go because I truly wanted her to be happy even if it meant being happy with someone else. She obviously moved on with her life, and so should I.

I turned to my side, preparing myself to succumb to my tiredness. _'I just wish I could see her one more time to tell her how sorry I am… and show her how much she meant to me…'_ I thought hopefully as I closed my eyes, allowing my brain to recall the memories I had of the first person I fell for.

* * *

 **That was a long chapter. Probably the longest ever. Anyway, I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter since you briefly get to see the Rookie gang once again. The story will continue in the next chapter, so keep that in mind if you're eager to read it.**


	20. Chapter 20

**OMG, I'm sooo sorry for the long wait. I was so caught up in school, exams, work, and lack of internet, I didn't realize I haven't posted for two months. I feel so bad especially when the next few chapters are fillers because I was so frazzled with everything and by the time I collected myself, it was sort of said and done. Dang, the guilt is so real you guys. I'll make it up to you and if you want, I'll give you a hint about the next arc if you upright ask. Obviously I won't give too much away but it's the least I can do. And I'll try to post another chapter next week and if not, the week after that. Again I'm super sorry!**

 **Anyways like I just said, the next two or three chapters are going to be out of the box, if you guys don't mind. I don't know, I just think this arc would really evolve Katsumi's relationship with Kabuto. So, yeah here's Chapter 20!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Day Off On a Date?**

 **Katsumi's POV:**

It had been a few days since our encounter with our old teammates from the Leaf. Since then, I had gotten lazy to the point where I didn't want to get out of my room. I wouldn't say that it was because I was still depressed from seeing my closest friends in the terms we were in, but it was more that I felt like life hated me and I was cursed every time I stepped out of my room. So I thought it was logical to stay indoors until either the wounds healed or until I was forced out of my room.

I highly doubted that someone would force me to wake up and smell the roses. Orochimaru was so high on his experiments and forbidden jutsu that he barely noticed that I disappeared unless I was sent on a mission. Sasuke and I were _still_ not talking because again, I felt that it was logical to wait for him to be the bigger person and take responsibilities because… simply he was a grown ass man. But he hadn't done that because he was very stubborn and I didn't want to take one for the team because I was just as stubborn; we were so alike, it never really stopped amazing me.

The only person who was remotely trying to get to me was Kabuto. He knew why I was being so down and dull lately and gave me the space that I needed. However, he was also concerned and tried to get me out of bed to which I threatened him not to or else the first thing I saw, it would be torn to shreds. So he respected my wishes and did what he was told. That was about two days ago, I think. Since there were no windows, I wasn't sure what time it was most of the time despite me having a clock but I turned it off because it was getting on my nerves having to wake up to the sound of it. I normally relied on my sleeping cycle to give me some idea but since I was cooped in my room I had no clue if it was day or night.

I was currently laying on my bed with my whole body covered by my comforter and blankets from head to toe. Being under the covers made me feel secure and safe, especially when I had strange emotional thoughts running in my head. This mechanism slowed down my anxiety levels from skyrocketing.

I didn't even sense a presence in my room until I felt weight being applied on my mattress, causing it to move downwards. I was in shock as my heart skipped a beat since this came unexpectedly and I wasn't really up for visitors at the moment. I was finally able to calm down and waited for whoever it was to either speak or get the message and leave my room.

"Good morning, sunshine…" A familiar voice beamed.

I remained silent as I hoped Kabuto would once again let me have my space. However this time, he wasn't budging nor even getting the hint. More like, he was ignoring my current state.

"Either you just died from lack of air, or you're simply being stubborn and don't want to say anything at all…" He implied playfully as I felt his finger poking me through the covers where my stomach was.

I slightly jump at this sudden action, earning a chuckle from the medic-nin. As much as I wanted to see him, I was just not in the mood to talk or even look at anyone. And I was praying to Kami that Kabuto gave up on having a conversation with me and leave me alone. But he physically refused.

After a moment, I felt that saying something seemed fit at this point.

"What time is it, anyway?" I asked lowly, adjusting my body to a more comfortable position.

"Almost ten…" He answered simply.

"Aren't you supposed to be working at the medical lab at this time?" I asked curiously, not understanding his point in being here if he had work to do.

"No, not today. I asked Lord Orochimaru to get the whole day off…" He answered.

I cocked an eyebrow under the blanket when I heard his reason. Sure the work Orochimaru gave him was hard and stressful, but why did he ask for a day off today of all things?

"Why did you ask for a day off?" I asked curiously.

Kabuto sighed. "Because you've been trapped in your room for most of the week and it's getting to the point where it's not healthy for you. And I'm here to get you out of the dark." He answered determinedly, his tone telling me he was being serious.

"Says the person who spends most of his time reading books and working on academics in his little cave." I wittedly commented, letting my stubbornness handle the job in getting the nerd to leave me be.

I could feel said nerd rolling his eyes at me. "Don't think you being stubborn is going to get me to leave you alone."

"Why bother me this early?" I complained irritably.

"Because I have things planned today for the both of us to enjoy, and it requires us to leave right now." He answered encouragingly. "Now get up already and get dressed."

"I'm not interested." I flatly stated.

"Nice try, now hurry up!" He demanded impatiently.

"No."

I heard him sigh deeply, thinking that it was pointless. I smirked proudly as I felt the weight on the bed being removed, indicating that he had gotten up and was ready to leave. Just after I sighed in relief, I stunned when the covers were pulled hastily from me. I glanced up only to see Kabuto towering over me with a smug look on his face. I was still in awe that he tricked me into thinking that he had given up.

"Alright then, you've forced my hand." He smirked, then he bent down as he reached towards me.

I attempted to scramble away from his grasp, but he was able to get ahold of me. He slung me over his shoulder and immediately I started wriggling hardly, trying my damn hardest to get away from him. But it seemed that no matter what I tried, his grip on me was too strong for me to slip away.

"It's no use." He told me cockily, feeling him smirking proudly at himself.

"Kabuto, you bastard! Let me go right now before I make your life a living HELL!" I threatened in rage, hitting him as much as possible to loosen his grip just a bit.

But of course, it did nothing to help.

"Are you always this cranky in the morning?" He asked, sounding a bit annoyed at me.

Kabuto granted my wish and put me down on the ground. I instantly noticed that I was in my bathroom and briefly examined it until I realized that the door was closed. I walked over to it and tried to open it, but the knob would budge. I tried again and again, but the little s**t wouldn't turn which made me even angrier because I knew exactly why the door wasn't opening. I resorted in banging the door hardly until I heard Kabuto's voice from the other side.

"Not too hard or else you'll break the door…" He nagged, sounding entertained by this.

"LET ME OUT, DIPS**T!" I barked lividly, as I banged and tried to turn the knob.

But I knew full well that bastard was hold the knob as he held the door closed as much as he could.

"Cussing at me won't help you either." He remarked conceitedly.

"Can you just leave me alone for ONCE!?" I growled exasperatedly; my tone started to sound like I was begging for mercy.

"Not until you get dressed and come along with me outside for the day." He conditioned hardly, sounding serious now.

"Why do want me to go out with you, anyway!?" I inquired whiningly, getting sick and tired of the boy's existence.

"Because that's what couples do when they're together." He answered dryly. "Besides, we've never gotten out on a date because we're so busy."

I was baffled by his answer and I gave myself some time to process his response. It was true that we never went on a date or spent actual quality time together since becoming a couple. True we were mostly busy to even think about going out or doing something special, but that wasn't the only reason. I don't necessarily consider us as a couple because in my mind, a couple was two people who were "sexually active" or "making love" or whatever. This doesn't apply to only sex; it could be referred to the entire relationship. Plus, there was the feeling of love between the two people and that was one of the most important things for a couple.

The thing was, I don't exactly consider us as a "couple" because we don't necessarily act like we were a couple; we acted as if we were close friends. To be blunt, our relationship was mostly friendship at least that was the way I saw it. The only things that made us look like we were a couple was the make-out sessions we had and the compliments we—but mostly Kabuto—shared. I thought it was because of me and not fully committing to that our relationship was both unique and weird.

I wasn't sure about Kabuto, though I knew he was ready to commit to us whenever I was ready. In fact, he was already committed and had been perfectly faithful to me since the beginning. I wouldn't be surprised if he confessed that he loved me because he was just so gentle and tender towards me. There was no doubt that I felt loved by this man, but I wasn't sure and maybe not even _ready_ to love him back. Basically my biggest concern on this date was that I would fall in love with him, then start getting sexually active with him which would lead me to get emotionally attached to him until we go through a bad break up which would trigger my depression to the point where everything negative around and about me caused my emotions to be so raw.

To sum it up, I was worried that this one date would lead on to something terrible.

"Listen, Katsumi. This is not me trying to make you love me, to pressure you to doing something that you're not comfortable or scared of doing. I genuinely want to spend some quality time with you outside of the hideout." He assured kindly, sounding truthful the second he opened his mouth. "Plus, I want to help relief at least a bit of your stress from what's been going on lately."

After hearing his words, I turned my back on the door and placed my weight on it as I deeply sighed in defeat. Kabuto assured that this was only going to benefit me, it made the idea of the date a bit better. He wanted to help me lift my mood up by giving me the whole day to myself. It was tempting, in a way. And I knew that I wasn't going to have me freedom until I accepted his invitation. Plus, he was treating me for the whole day; I had to take advantage of it. Finally making my decision, I turned around and glared hardly at the door.

"Ugghh…!" I grunted in annoyance, kicking the door one last time in defeat.

"I assume you've given up…?" Kabuto guessed smugly, already knowing my answer.

"Just get the hell out of my bedroom! I need some privacy…" I ordered exasperatedly, turning my attention to my reflection on my bathroom mirror.

"Just be sure that you pack some stuff because we're not going to be here until tomorrow morning." He instructed simply.

"Yeah, sure…" I replied in boredom, prepping to brush my teeth.

"Also, and I know this is a little much…" He added hesitantly, trying to find the right words. "Um, can you change your appearance just a little so that no one will notice us?"

I paused the process of brushing my teeth, confused and dumbfounded by this favor of his.

"Where the HELL are we going, anyway!?" I questioned loudly, my mouth filled with lathered toothpaste.

"I'm not telling you until we get there. However the location isn't populated with ninja so no one will detect us by chakra." He answered broadly. "But there's a possibility that they'll notice us by appearance so just make a few changes to your original look for precaution."

"You've got to be kidding me! Kabuto, this is—!"

"For the love of sanity, just do it!" He snapped in irritation.

"Fine!" I then went back to brushing my teeth as we stood there in silence.

I wasn't sure if Kabuto was still outside waiting for me. With a huff, I turned off the sink and went over to dry myself off with a towel.

"You remember what you're supposed to—?"

"I already know, dammit! Pack some stuff and change my look, now get out! I need some privacy!" I grumbled, irked by his constant nagging.

"Good." He chirped cockily. "I'll be waiting for you near the main hideout door."

With that, I heard footsteps getting further away from the bathroom door then I heard my bedroom door opened then closed. I sighed in relief; this boy really annoyed my soul so much it was ready to escape my body.

I quickly got out of the bathroom and packed some of my things in my knapsack. I made sure it was enough to last me until tomorrow morning. Once I was done, I pondered on what I should wear right now. Kabuto wasn't specific when he told me to get dressed, but he did mentioned that we were going to an area where there weren't any ninja. So that meant the population was full of civilians; I assumed he wanted me to dress like one. As a precaution, I decided to wear my light grey hoodie dress with black Capri leggings, thinking that it would make me look as if I was an ordinary girl. Going with this outfit, I took a quick shower and clothed myself as fast as I could. I scanned my reflection to see I looked decent enough to go out in public. I lifted my eyebrows, impressed; the look looked better than I thought in my head. I was fully prepared to leave with my stuff packed, except for my hair. Since my hair was so long and thick, it was taking a while for it to completely dry. So I waited patiently for about a few minutes and I checked my hair again to see if it was still damp. I smiled in relief when I realized that it was almost dry so I decided to put my hair in a high ponytail like how I used to back at the Leaf. I took a few hair ties and positioned my hair with both my hands into a ponytail as I smoothed my hair down with a brush.

Once I was done, I tugged my ponytail to make it a bit tighter and sturdier. I examined my reflection as I combed my long bangs that framed my face. I was always reminded by my hair up like this that Sasuke and I could pass as identical twins; we had the same face, eyes and our bangs were similar with mine being more longer. The only difference we had was our hair colour; Sasuke's was slightly navy blue whereas mine was midnight black. This was one of the things that made us so close; we were literally best friends and we were proud of it. It was honestly upsetting to me that we went from close siblings to estranged people. What made it worse was the fact that Sasuke didn't seemed to care.

Shaking that thought out of my head, I put on my knapsack, put on black ninja sandals, and made my way towards the main door. From a distance, I saw Kabuto standing there waiting for me with a grin on his face. I halted my steps in front of him and scanned his appearance. He wore a dark, long-sleeved shirt, beige pants, and black sandals. I took a good look at him and noticed that his hair was down but he still wore his glasses which raised my eyebrow a little.

"You know, you should have your hair like that more often…" He complimented kindly with a smile. "It shows your beauty off even more."

I slightly blushed when he told me that I looked beautiful. "Uh, thanks…"

"Don't mention it, I speak the truth…" He beamed happily, forcing a smile on my face.

"So, is this look good enough?" I asked him, referring to my outfit.

"Better than I could've ever imagined." He smirked. "Now no one is going to recognize us as ninja…"

"I wouldn't be too sure…" I commented dryly, indicating his glasses. "You're still wearing your glasses. It's literally the biggest giveaway ever…"

"I'm aware of that." He told me, aware about them himself. "But I'm unable to see a thing without them, and I need to direct us to the place we're going."

Kabuto then removed his glasses, proving his statement as he squinting his eyes hardly at me just to know where I was standing.

"So the problem is that you can't see without them, but it gives others a chance to expose us as rogue ninja if you keep them on…" I thought aloud, folding my arms.

"Yes…" He nodded.

Without warning, I took the glasses from his hands then I grabbed his hand and forced him to follow me down the hallway. Kabuto was taken aback by this, not knowing what I was planning.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked curiously, hesitating to move his feet though I was able to use my strength to make him move.

"You'll find out." I simply hinted, stopping in front of a door.

I opened it and it revealed one of the examination rooms. I walked over to a wall that consisted countless of drawers and opened one after the other. Kabuto stood there in the room, watching me with curiosity. I looked inside one particular drawer that carried the thing I was looking for and pulled it out proudly. I walked over towards the medic-nin with a confident look on my face as he raised an eyebrow on my unexpected happy mood. I placed the container on the metal table and opened the lid. I reached my hand in the container and pulled out a small jar. I turned to Kabuto and held out the object to present my hard work.

"This'll do the trick." I told him certainly, holding out a small jar.

Kabuto took the jar from my hands and brought it close to his face to examine in since his sight was blurry.

"What's in this jar?" He asked interestedly, turning it to see all angles of it.

"Contact lenses." I briefly answered.

"Contact lenses?" He repeated, slightly confused. "Like, contacts for my sight?"

"Exactly. As you can see, they're basically thin plastic lenses that help correct or amend human eyes' defects and/or flaws." I replied, cocking her head towards the jar.

"They act just like glasses." He commented dryly, poking the jar gently. "Why is this a better alternative than my glasses, anyway?"

"They're not entirely like glasses." I corrected him, folding my arms. "Instead of positioning them in front of your eyes like glasses, these are placed directly on the surface of your eyes."

I watched Kabuto as he processed this new information, then I awed in comprehension when I figured out her intentions.

"I get it, now. If I use these, nobody will recognize me for my glasses since I won't have them on." He theorized with a grin. "And I won't have to worry about my eyesight either."

"Yes, exactly." I grinned confidently, mentally patting myself on the back for being a genius.

"What are we waiting? Let's do it." He smirked excitedly, being surprisingly happy about this plan.

"There's just one thing that kind of concerns me." I interjected quickly, not wanting to get his hopes up too soon.

"What is it?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I'm not hundred percent sure if they'll fix your vision completely." I told him bluntly.

"Didn't you test them before advising it to me?" He questioned warily.

"Of course I did. And they work perfectly." I answered, slightly pouting for him doubting me.

"Then I don't see the problem." He claimed, squinting his eyes at me as if I was being clueless.

That or he just couldn't really see me since he wasn't wearing anything for his eyes right now.

"The problem is your exact prescription of your current lenses you wear." I justified, indicating his glasses which I pulled out from my bag. "Since I didn't test them directly on you, I had to guess the strength of which these lenses had to be. Because of this, there's no telling if they're too weak that you still couldn't see with them or too strong that it damages and strains your eyes even further."

"My vision without my glasses…" He stated thoughtfully. "Well, right now everything is completely blurry including you. However, I can still see your form and where you are but I can't see the look on your face."

"Then that means it was smart of me to make the prescription strong on the contacts." I commented in relief. "But I wonder if it's strong enough…"

"There's only one way to find out…" He breathed stressfully.

I then grabbed Kabuto's hand and led him to a long, arm chair. Once he sat comfortably on the "doctor's chair", I took the small jar he held and placed them on a small table beside me. I carefully and surely sanitized my hands and then I slowly opened the jar and took out one of the two contacts that were soaked with a special liquid in the jar. I made sure they were positioned on my index finger like tiny bowl. I turned to Kabuto who was watching me intently.

"I'm going to put this on your eye right now." I notified him, moving myself closer to him with the contact on my finger tip. "I want you to stay as still as possible, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded and adjusted himself to obey my command.

Nodding, I used my free hand to open his eyelids as wide as possible, revealing only his eye to me. Carefully I placed the contact lenses on the surface of his eye.

"This might feel uncomfortable, but just stay with me." I told him comfortingly when I heard him grunt at the pressure on his eye.

It took a moment to position the lenses correctly on top of the iris and pupil, but I was able to apply the contact perfectly and I couldn't feel more accomplished. I went ahead to do the other eye, and I applied it with ease.

"Okay, I'm done." I told him, sighing in relief. "Blink your eyes and tell me if it feels weird or uncomfortable."

Kabuto did what he was told and blinked a couple of times. "No, they feel fine." He shook his head.

"Move your eyes around." I then told him.

Kabuto moved his eyes in all directions. "Nope."

"One more thing." I assured him with a smirk. "How's your sight now?"

It took a while for him to answer the question which made me anxious; I worked very hard on this project and made sure they worked perfectly. It wasn't until Kabuto threw me a smirk at me that stopped my anxiety.

"Better now." He beamed happily. "In fact, it's close to perfect!"

"Good." I smiled; his happiness was somehow contagious.

Suddenly, Kabuto grabbed my cheeks with both hands and hastily pulled me down to his face. Within a second, my lips forcibly crashed on his lips as he kissed me affectionately. My mind was trying to process what was happening as he deepened the kiss without hesitation. Just when I was about to pull away, he removed his lips from mine but still had his grip on my cheeks.

"What was that for?" I asked breathlessly, still in shock.

"My way of saying thank you. " He answered soothingly. "It's no surprise that you made these contacts for me out of compassion. And I can tell it took a lot to make them work as well as they are right now."

I scoffed at his reason. "I didn't make them specifically for you. They were meant for~… Sasuke." I amended with a frown, walking towards the door.

"Funny, because Sasuke has no vision problems especially with his Sharingan." He snorted aloud as he followed me out the door.

"Whatever! Can we just go already?" I snapped, dismissing the truth behind his words.

"Of course." He nodded as he walked ahead of me to the main door.

 ***Time Skip***

After two and half hours of walking, we finally made it to a small town Kabuto mentioned before. He was also right about the people there; I couldn't detect no forms of chakra whatsoever, meaning there were no ninja. We seemed to blend in with the crowd as well since nobody even batted an eye at us for being suspicious nor different. The feeling of being an ordinary human being felt so relaxing and comforting.

I sometimes wished that I wasn't a ninja.

The streets were crowded but we were able to pass by easily since it wasn't completely jammed. I suddenly felt a hand entwining with mine, locking fingers with me. I glanced to my side only to see Kabuto giving me a soft smile as he gripped my hand firmly.

"You okay?" He asked lightly.

I shrugged. "I guess. I mean, I have no clue where we're going, so…"

Kabuto giggled at my curiosity. "You'll know soon enough…" He assured then he walked ahead, forcing me to speed up as well.

After twenty minutes of walking, we stopped in front of what seemed to be some sort of inn or hotel. I raised an eyebrow as I glanced at Kabuto, waiting for him to explain.

"Here we are." He announced with a smirk.

Before I opened my mouth, he used his grip on my hand to pull me inside the building. He checked into a room then he pulled me towards our assigned room once he got the key. Our room was apparently on the second floor since Kabuto led me down the second-level hallway. He stopped in front of a door and unlocked it with ease. He opened the door and step aside as he glanced at me.

"Lady's first." He smirked as he beckoned me to enter first.

I warily walked through the door and took in the look of our room for the day. I was currently standing in what looked like a small but cute living room where there was a couch, coffee table and a small bookshelf with books across the couch. Across from where I was standing, I saw a sliding glass door that led to the balcony which showed a good view of the town. I slid my feet towards the middle of the room then I noticed a small kitchen from the corner of my eye.

As I was absorbing my new surroundings, I felt a familiar presence behind me as it slightly brushed my back. I felt an arm wrapping around my waist and looked over my shoulder to see Kabuto standing there. He led me towards a door that led to the beautiful master bedroom. It too had a sliding glass door that showed a beautiful view. I walked freely around the room, inspecting it until I reached to another door. I opened it and it showed me the master bathroom to which I was in awe. It had both a shower and a huge bathtub—perfect for a much-needed bubble bath.

I was admiring the look of the bathroom until I felt two hands on my shoulders. I then felt someone nuzzling my neck, which sent shivers down my spine.

"You hungry?" He purred quietly, lightly kissing my neck.

"Starving." I briefed with a small smile.

With one final kiss on my skin, I allowed Kabuto's hands to remove the shoulder straps of my bag off of my shoulders. I turned on my heel, facing him completely.

"Then let's go." He smiled brightly; his pure smiles always gave me a good feeling inside, knowing that he was truly happy.

"Where?"

"You'll see." He told me, not giving anything away.

"That s**t's getting old and annoying." I told him bluntly, showing the annoyance on my face.

"Calm down." He soothed playfully, grabbing my hand as we handed for the door. "Not knowing isn't going to kill you."

I frowned at his comment. Not because he was implying I was being unnecessarily annoyed, but he was always hiding something from me and wouldn't tell me until I saw it myself. What was with all the surprises? And why were they all happening in one day?

Kabuto led me down the stairs, across the lobby and down a woodened hallway. I was getting anxious by every step I took, wondering what the next surprise could possibly be. I snapped out of my thoughts when I noticed a man from a distance standing patiently, apparently waiting for us. Kabuto and I paused in front of him as we watched the gentleman bowing his head respectfully; immediately I felt like a royal.

"Everything you've requested awaits you and the lovely lady in this room." He politely proclaimed.

"Thank you very much." Kabuto replied mannerly, nodding his head once.

"Yeah, thanks." I simply said, not knowing what else to say.

The gentleman then slid the door open for us then Kabuto gently pulled me into a spacious room. I scanned the appearance of the room, seeing nothing too special about it until I laid my eyes on something in the heart of the room. There was a large table filled with so much delicious foods, waiting to be eaten. My eyes sparkled by the beautiful sight in front of me; it had been a long time since I had good food so this was a blessing for me.

"If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask." The kind man told us kindly.

I turned around to face the man and smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you for your services. You've done too much." I beamed.

The gentleman smiled happily, appreciating my compliment and words of motivation. He then closed the door, not wanting to bother us any longer. Once his footsteps could no longer be heard, I glanced at Kabuto who smiled, slightly impressed.

"What's with you, all of a sudden?" He asked, amused.

"Since when I was offered such amazing food?" I rhetorically asked him, ignoring his arrogance.

I didn't wait Kabuto to speak and went ahead to sit comfortably on one of the soft cushions that were prepared for us. I heard the medic-nin sitting himself down and without saying another word, we began to eat.

"This is so damn good!" I smiled blissfully in between chews.

"I'm glad you like it so much." Kabuto stated, smiling back.

As the time went by, our eating pace gradually decreased due to our lack of our hunger. However, we still continued to eat because the food tasted that good. Plus, eating above ground level just made it taste even better. As I continued to chew, I looked across the table and noticed that Kabuto stopped eating entirely.

"You're not eating." I stated as I chewed.

"I'm stuffed." He claimed, sounding like it to as he rubbed his satisfied stomach.

"Okay, then." I shrugged then I continued eating without a care in the world.

After a moment passed, I noticed that Kabuto was watching me intently which kind of made me uncomfortable. Mostly because it was so quiet in the room.

"So, you like the contacts I made?" I asked him, starting a conversation.

"Yes, I do. It's much more comfortable than my glasses…" He answered gratefully.

"I'm glad you like it so much." I told him genuinely. "I'm assuming you'll be using them from now on instead of your glasses."

I was confused when Kabuto's face fell when I mentioned his glasses. His mood was brought down instantly and I couldn't understand why.

"As much as I love the gift, I don't think I'll be replacing my glasses." He told me truthfully. "You see, they're more than just glasses to me. Mother gave me these glasses as a token for her love for me as her son. When I wear them, I'm carrying a piece of her, reminding me that she's always there beside me."

I looked at Kabuto thoughtfully. I may be hard on him, but when he talked about his Mother and how much she loved him, it showed me softer side of Kabuto under the mask he puts on. It reminded me why I was attracted to him in the first place: because he carried so much love for his beloved ones despite having a tough past.

"That's really cute." I replied honestly, smiling softly at him. "The way you talk about her… she sounds like an amazing woman. I would love to meet her if she was still here."

"And I know she would love you if you two meet. You remind me of her quite much…" He complimented, smiling back. "You both are beautiful, strong, selfless human beings."

I slightly blushed at his comment. "Kabuto…"

"Difference is she has a better attitude." He quickly muttered as if I couldn't hear him.

"What are you talking about!?" I asked, offended. "My attitude isn't bad."

"Says the person who called me—and I quote—dipsh*t." He pointed out with a smirk.

"Hmph…" I huffed as I folded my arms.

Kabuto chuckled at my childish form. "I don't take it as a negative, though. In fact, it's part of the reason why I fell for you…" He told me.

"Well, good…" I huffed stubbornly as I continued to eat.

After a moment of silence, another questioned hit me.

"So, what's the plan for today after eating?" I curiously asked him, praying that he wouldn't say that it was a surprise.

For once, my wishes came true and it was this of all things.

"There's a festival happening in the heart of town." He answered plainly. "I felt like it's a good idea to head there and enjoy ourselves."

I was gulping down a glass of water as he told me his plan. I placed the cup carefully and wiped myself with a tissue.

"That actually sounds good to me too." I responded with a shrug, satisfied. "I mean, you are treating me today so…"

"Don't push it, Katsumi." He cut in warningly with his usual smirk. "I might change my mind if you take your luck for granted."

I rolled my eyes and took another sip of water.

"Are you finished eating?" He then asked me.

"Yeah, I am." I nodded, cleaning myself off.

"Then, let's go." He beckoned with a smile.

We walked out of the private dining room and exited the inn. With his grip on my hand, Kabuto led me down the streets as we headed towards the festival he mentioned earlier. Though I was excited to be out in public after years, I was suspicious of the boy's intentions for today. He assured me that this was all to "help" me and it wasn't a way to benefit himself except spend some quality time with me. However, the back of my head was telling me that there was more to what he was telling me; he was hiding something that was most likely crucial for the puzzle. Kabuto was known to be sneaky and manipulative—even though I knew he wouldn't do something like that to me—so I had to keep my guard up just in case.

I snapped into reality when I heard voices of other civilians around the corner. Once we had turned once more, we received a large view of what the festival had to offer. There were games, food, sales, and everything else that a festival had. I was examining everyone participating and enjoying themselves as a small smile appeared on my face; I had a good feeling that I too was like everyone else.

"How you feeling?" Kabuto asked me curiously.

I glanced at him and placed a confident grin on my face. "I feel like a normal human being."

"Huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "What I meant to say is that I feel free. After being trapped in gloomy lairs, it feels refreshing seeing everyone so happy and upbeat and I'm about to join in the excitement." I clarified, still smiling.

"I guess I'll take your word for it." He shrugged dismissively then he pulled me through the entrance.

Our first stop was the ring toss game that was one of the most common games in any festival/carnival. Intrigued, I pulled Kabuto to the ring toss booth. Without being asked, the medic-nin willingly paid for the both of us to play. Once we had received three rings, I turned over to him with a smug look on my face.

"Ready to get your ass handed to you?" I asked him mockingly.

"Are _you_ ready to _kiss_ it when you lose?" He countered with arrogance, placing his smirk on his face.

"I don't have to because _I'm_ going to win." I answered conceitedly.

"We'll see about that." He hummed, turning his attention to the task at hand.

I watched him as he easily got two rings through separate bottlenecks. Kabuto had one more left to get a perfect win and I already felt the stress on me radiating from him. He took a deep breath in and tossed the ring, anticipating the result of his action. Unfortunately for him, the ring instead hit against the bottle then fell on the ground. I heard the medic-nin curse underneath his breath, earning an amused smile on my face.

"Well that's too bad." I commented sadly, mocking his misfortune. "Just when I thought you're competition…"

Kabuto just smirked my comment off his shoulders, stepping aside to give me space for me to play. With one move, I easily got three of the rings around the same bottle. I smiled proudly at the result and I glanced at the medic-nin who zoned out as he stared hardly at the rings I tossed.

"You saw the skills, huh?" I mocked self-centeredly. "Don't you ever underestimate me, loser."

"Congratulations." He smiled. "Choose your prize."

I blinked at his last statement, turning to the booth which indeed presented prizes for the winner. The man running this game waited patiently for me to choose as I scanned what they had but there was nothing that was intriguing to me. Then I saw the cutest toy out of all the others: it was a white teddy bear with a pink bow on its head while wearing a pretty pink dress. With a smile, I pointed my finger at the stuffed animal and the man happily took it off the shelf for me.

"Hear you go." He beamed, handing me the bear.

I allowed myself to hug the precious toy tightly. I heard Kabuto chuckling while I glanced at him, pouting irritably at him.

"What? I'm a girl; we're suckers to cute things." I snapped defensively.

"I'm not laughing at you." He told me calmly, smiling. "I'm laughing because I'm happy that you're happy."

I could feel my cheeks burning at his compliment. "Thanks…"

Kabuto nodded in acknowledgement then he wrapped his arm around my waist, leading me down the festival. I continued to hold my prize firmly, refusing to put it down.

"So what do you want to do next?" He asked me curiously as we strolled through the crowd of people. "Another game?"

I shook my head. "No, I only wanted a souvenir. Now that I have this, I want to do something else." I answered brightly.

Kabuto nodded in acceptance then placed a kiss on my cheek, not minding this nor his closeness. We stopped near a candy booth and I asked the medic-nin to purchase sweets for me; I had a huge sweet tooth and it had been a while since I ate good candy. He willingly went over and bought a bag full of sweets. As we proceeded in walking, I held my stuffed animal in one arm while pulling out sweets from the bag with the other as Kabuto held the bag, also eating a couple. We then noticed a few of live performances taking place and I wanted to see the entertainment offered to everyone. So we stood near the front of the act with Kabuto's arm still wrapped around me as we watched in awe at the amount of talent in display.

"You enjoying yourself?" He questioned, rummaging the bag full of candies.

I nodded as I chewed on a piece. Once the show was over, Kabuto and I remained standing on our spot as others began to turn their attention on other parts of the festival.

"I need to use the restroom." I heard Kabuto's voice, glancing at him as he searched his back pocket for something.

I watched him as I continued to eat the candies, enjoying the sweetness in my mouth. The grey haired male then pulled out his wallet and held it out for me, indicating me to take it.

"While I'm gone, you're free to purchase anything as you please." He told me plainly. "Just take care of yourself and keep your guard up."

"Sure." I nodded, happily taking his wallet.

Kabuto leaned in and briefly kissed then he walked off to the restroom, leaving me on my own in the middle of a crowd. I studied his wallet, thinking what I should purchase. I wasn't really hungry but even after that bag of sweets, my sweet tooth wouldn't go away. That was when I noticed a man behind an ice cream stand which brought the inner child in me. I wasted little time to make my way over there and got myself a vanilla cone. I then seated myself where I enjoyed the vanilla flavoured treat, relaxing under the hot sun; days like this made me wish I could spend more time outside like before instead of living in the dark. Also watching people walking by with smiles and joy on their faces made me feel a sense of humanity that I thought I lost a long time ago.

"Teddy!" An unfamiliar, high voice chirped, bringing me back to reality.

I glanced aside and immediately figured out where the voice came from. There, looking intriguingly at my teddy bear with a bright smile on her face, was a little girl who was about seven years old. She had blonde, shoulder-length hair with blunt bangs covering most of her forehead while wearing a light pink headband. She had creamy pale skin and her eyes were brilliant blue and sparkly, making her even more adorable. She wore a light pink T-shirt—matching the headband—and a cute blue skirt topping it all off with silver flats. Seeing this image of this kid reminded me the innocence I once had before I started running away from home, acting out, and whatnot. But seeing this child also gave me some relief that most children wouldn't go through what I had gone through because childhood was a precious part of a person's life.

"Akemi!" Another unfamiliar voice called out within the crowd.

So the girl's name was Akemi. Such a suitable name that meant "bright beauty" for someone like her; she would grow to be both bright and beautiful.

"Mom?" The little girl questioned as she turned her head as the woman who now stood in front of the two of us was her mother, I assumed.

The girl's mother looked awfully similar to her daughter with her blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin. Although her hair was longer in length and left alone, straight. I eyed the woman as I ate my ice cream.

"Akemi, what did I tell about running off on your own?" Her mother scolded hardly, looking and sounding more worried than upset.

"I couldn't help it, mom." Akemi replied defensively. "I saw this cute teddy bear and I just wanted to get a closer look at it."

The mother sighed and then turned her attention over to me as I sat there quietly, taking the last bite of the cone.

"I apologize for my daughter's behaviour. She really loves stuffed animals, as you can see." She smiled apologetically, releasing her soft gently aura.

"Oh, don't apologize." I assured genuinely, holding my hand out with a small smile. "I can't blame her because it really is cute and pretty. That's why I got it…"

"It is, Miss!" Akemi beamed in agreement.

"Just call me Kat, okay?" I told her kindly.

"Okay! It's nice to meet you Kat!" Akemi smiled. "My name is Akemi."

"I know, and it's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." I commented gently as she blushed at my compliment.

"Do you want to hold it, Akemi?" I asked her sweetly, holding the bear to her.

"Oh, you don't have to." The mother assured me, not wanting her daughter to be a bother.

"No, I insist." I smiled, waiting for Akemi to take it.

Her eyes lightened by my offer and took the bear off my hands, holding it tightly against her. The sight gave me a warm feeling inside. A good feeling.

"Thank you, Kat!" She beamed happily.

Suddenly, Akemi scrambled onto my lap and started playing with my prized toy. It took me back a second because it came out of nowhere, but I didn't mind it the least. I smiled lightly as I watched the little girl on my lap happily minding her own business. I then heard a sigh to which I looked up to see the girl's mother, looking defeated. She then walked over to the bench and sat down next to me.

"My name is Ayame, by the way." She introduced with a friendly smile. "Kat, right?"

I nodded in confirmation.

"I saw you earlier with that boyfriend of yours." She told me as I already felt uncomfortable. "He's such a gentleman towards you, it's amazing how big his heart his."

' _You should see his "big heart" when he does his experiments…'_ I thought to myself as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

It wasn't until then I took in the fact that the woman in front of me used… the B word girls used for their significant other. It was also then I started blushing nervously at her.

"Um… my…?" I stuttered, not knowing what to say to her that would make sense.

Ayame laughed lightly at the look on my face.

"I know. You are together but you're not fully committed in _saying_ that he's your boyfriend." She remarked in comprehension. "I know how it feels."

"You do?" I questioned her, raising an eyebrow.

"You see, my husband is exactly like your boyfriend when we were about your age. He had a thing for me for a while and did whatever he could to get my attention, but I always brushed him off." She explained thoughtfully. "I was such a stubborn, independent, bold girl and I always told myself that I don't need a man to carry me through life. So when he tried to sweep me off my feet, I turned him down because I believed that I didn't want him a part of my life."

"How did that all change?" I asked her interestedly, playing with Akemi's hair to which she didn't mind at all.

Ayame let out a laugh. "Well, you can say he did things for me exactly how your boyfriend is doing for you right now. He was certain that he would win my heart and did such original, unique, and special things just for me. He made me feel like I was the only girl in the world. Eventually, I've fallen for him greatly and I realized that I do love him so much. He made me feel special and he loved me for all of my flaws and perfections." She answered softly, smiling to herself as she thought of her man.

"He sounds like an amazing guy." I complimented kindly, happy for her happiness.

"Yes, and he continues to do things for me because he believes that will keep me by his side." She claimed humorously. "He doesn't want me to go anywhere because I'm 'all his'."

"Wow." It was all I could say because he was simply a great guy and that he reminded me so much of Kabuto.

"Dad is the best dad in the whole world because he makes family his first priority!" Akemi chirped, proud of her dad too.

"That's good to hear." I smiled at the little girl, rubbing her head affectionately as she made herself comfortable on me.

"When I saw you two together, it reminded us both of how our relationship blossomed to something beautiful." Ayame continued softly, sounding in bliss. "I hoped that the same happens to you two in the future."

I shrugged at her prediction. "Only time will tell…"

"With that much love he has for you… there's no doubt in my mind…" She claimed certainly, sounding all wise.

I mean, whatever floated her boat.

"I'm aware that he loves me, but I don't think I've come to terms with my feelings for him." I told her bluntly, trying hard not to sound like a jerk.

"Men are willing to wait for something they love and care for, no matter how long." She commented with a wise tone, placing her hand on my shoulder. "He loves you to the point he'll go through any boundaries just for you; he's committed to you and I know it."

"You're probably right." I acknowledged Ayame's honesty with me.

"Just be sure you show your appreciation to him at least once as motivation for him." She advised with a wink. "That'll let him know you respect and appreciate him."

I took her advice into consideration, noting that I probably should do something along those lines to show that I wasn't a shell of a human being.

"I can't wait for you and your boyfriend to get married. You guys are perfect for each other!" Akemi smiled brightly up at me.

I smiled and gave her a brief hug. "I hope you're right, cutie."

"Oh, there you are, Ayame!" Another voice that I was unfamiliar of spoke in front of us.

This voice came from a male and I glanced up to see a man standing in front of us with a friendly smile on his face. He had brown hair, lightly-tanned skin, and bright blue eyes like Ayame and Akemi. Though he was looking for the mother, he was specifically eyeing me with a blank look. I adjusted myself and waited for him to speak.

"I'm sorry. Have we met?" He asked politely with a slight firmness to his voice.

"Not exactly, Daichi." Ayame answered for me. "This is Kat… the girl we saw with her boyfriend earlier."

It took Daichi a few seconds to realize what Ayame meant. Then he smiled softly down at me.

"Oh yes, that's right." He nodded then held out his hand to introduce himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kat. I'm Daichi, Ayame's wife and Akemi's father."

I shook his hand and smiled back at him respectfully. "So you're the world's greatest dad Akemi mentioned a moment ago."

"Yeah, because you're the greatest, dad!" Akemi nodded, confirming this detail.

"Thank you, my little princess." He smiled, flattered by his daughter's words.

It wasn't until then I noticed that Daichi was holding something securely in his arms. Ayame apparently noticed this and cleared my curiosity.

"That's our infant, Hiroki." She told me calmly. "He's a few months old."

I moved closer to see the baby boy as he slept soundly in his father's arms. I was a sucker for children like Akemi, but babies were my weakness.

"He's so precious…" I breathed in awe, not wanting to wake him up.

"Wanna hold him?" Daichi asked me.

I winced at his offer in disbelief. "Can I?"

"Of course." Ayame chirped.

I slowly nodded and Daichi handed his baby son to me. As he did, Akemi quickly removed herself from my lap and sat beside me. I gently took Hiroki off his arms and cradled the infant close to me as it slept peacefully. I didn't notice the huge smile on my face because I was so drawn to this tiny human being.

"You're a natural, Kat." Ayame commented in glee. "You'll be an amazing mother someday."

"Oh, uh… thank you…" I blushed nervously, trying to focus on Hiroki.

"That child will be lucky to have you as a mom and your boyfriend as their father…" Daichi added in to the compliment.

Hearing this made me more anxious than I ever was before. I literally felt like throwing up from so much anxiety.

"You guys are being too nice." I told them, hinting them to stop.

"They're honest people, Kat." Akemi then spoke as her eyes were on my toy. "They barely say nice things to strangers unless they're super-duper kind."

I nodded at their daughter's claim and went back to cradling their baby boy.

"So, you were here this whole time?" I heard yet another voice in the air, but this one was awfully familiar.

I didn't need my vision to know that it was said "boyfriend", Kabuto. He sounded as if he was done his business moments ago and was searching me through the crowd. I felt him placing his hand on my shoulder as he stared firmly at the strangers in front of him. I stood up from the bench as I still cradled the infant safely in my arms.

"Did I miss something?" He asked rhetorically, continued to eye at the family in front of us.

"Not much." I answered plainly, looking at the baby.

"Mom and Kat were just talking about how you're like my dad when they were younger and that you loved Kat so much that someday you'll marry her and have a baby together." Akemi rambled brightly, earning a glare from her mother.

"Akemi!" Her mother snapped.

"What? It's no big deal since it's obvious that he loves Kat and wants to marry her." Akemi pouted, defending herself from her mother's wrath.

Daichi sweat dropped at his daughter while forcing an awkward smile. "Some things should be left unsaid, sweetie."

The look on my face was priceless because it was heating up by the second in embarrassment. I side-glanced over at Kabuto whose face was equally hot and red as mine but in more embarrassment than me. Does that mean what Ayame and Akemi said was true? That Kabuto loved and might even want to marry me? To make matters worse, my anxiety came back to say hello once again.

"Young man." I heard Daichi's voice, asking for Kabuto's attention.

"Yes, sir?"

"Clearly this beautiful girl means a lot to you and I know just as much as you do that you want her a part of your life." He told him with a kind smile. "I know exactly how it feels to do whatever it takes to have someone you love. Simply put, you two remind me of my wife and me when we were younger."

"That's right." Ayame confirmed with a wink. "We hope you two have a future together, no matter what happens."

This was so awkward and oddly, I was waiting for Orochimaru to catch us being associated with others so that this awkward moment would die in a hole.

"Is that their child you're holding?" Kabuto asked me simply; apparently he no longer felt awkward about the situation as much as I was like he came to terms with it.

"Yes, isn't he cute?" I cooed happily, trying to calm myself down from the uncomfortableness.

Kabuto nodded as he moved himself closer to me and used his two fingers to gently caress the baby's cheek. The way how gentle and tender the medic-nin was to the infant felt twice as better than the baby alone. After a moment, I realized that the parents of this child was waiting to have him back and I instantly handed the baby to his father with a nervous smile.

"Well, you two should continue having alone time together so we won't bother you anymore." Ayame smiled innocently, although winking at me.

And the awkwardness kicked in.

"Akemi, give the girl her bear back." Daichi told his daughter softly with a solid edge to his tone.

"Okay." Akemi sulked and hesitantly held out said toy to me.

"Actually, you should keep the bear, Akemi." I interjected sweetly, waving a dismissive hand.

"Please, take your bear back." Ayame refused in guilt. "She shouldn't keep what's yours."

"Think of it as a gift." I assured with a convincing smile. "Besides, I have no room for it and it shouldn't be thrown away."

"Thank you, Akemi! You're the best!" She cheered in glee, throwing her arms around me.

I stood there a brief second as she hugged me, but then allowed myself to hug the child back.

"You're very welcome." I grinned down at her.

Akemi pulled away and smiled up at me. She then moved her blue eyes over to Kabuto as he gazed down at the girl curiously.

"She's a keeper, so you better take good care of her." She threatened cutely at the medic-nin, earning her a flustered look from Kabuto.

"Akemi!" Her mother snapped at her again.

Kabuto cleared his throat and gently patted Akemi's head.

"Of course, I'll take care of her." He assured her truthfully.

Her father then picked her up off the ground and the family walked off. I waved Akemi as she waved back with her beautiful smile. I hoped that one day, I get to see her as an amazing woman like her mother.

"Let's go somewhere nice for dinner." I heard Kabuto suggest to me as I felt his arm snaking around my waist.

With a nod, we both walked in the opposite direction to wherever Kabuto wanted to take me, not caring that I had no clue what else was in store for me.

* * *

 **Okay, this chapter officially is the longest chapter I had typed. I really hope it sort of makes up the fact that it took so long to type. I'll try to update next time! Count on it!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I just wanna give a shoutout to user mykaelamatsukaze for the brief but amazing review. I was actually shocked that you liked the last chapter because I sort of winged it. Nonetheless, thanks for the love to you and every one of my amazing readers.**

 **And for those who weren't thrilled about that filler chapter, just bear with it for a while. You'll see why…**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: The Future Featuring The Past**

I don't know how Kabuto knew this town so well, never mind knowing this fancy place. It looked so fancy and elegant and expensive especially. I could barely wrap my head around the huge amounts of money he had to pay for it all. Then again, he was a criminal so maybe he stole money when he wasn't killing people. Shocking that I didn't hold that against him, being al heartless and cold to innocent people. I was just as bad as him.

"So what exactly happened when I wasn't present?" Said medic-nin asked curiously, still having his mind on that scenario. He read the menu as much as he could, refusing to look at me.

"Nothing much. I mean, it all started with Akemi drooling over my prize." I shrugged as I too read what this place had to offer my stomach.

"I'm more curious about the parents particularly." He commented bluntly.

I sighed at his curiosity. "Apparently, they saw us together earlier today and our relationship resembled theirs when they were younger. They ended up loving each other so much, they got married and had two children together. Because of the 'resemblance', they strongly believe or at least wished we ended up like them in the future." I briefed dryly as my eyes were glued to the menu.

Kabuto finally looked up at me in awe as I continued to read the list of foods.

"What did you say?" He asked hesitantly, afraid to hear my answer but still wanted to know the truth.

I sighed once again and glanced at him. "Honestly, I was hesitant on that fact. But that doesn't exactly mean I don't want that to happen." I simply stated.

Kabuto lowered his gaze. "Do you… see yourself… being married to me?" He asked softly.

I was silent for about a moment because I wanted to be honest with Kabuto but I also didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"My personal opinion on marriage varies, Kabuto." I explained flatly. "The way I see it, marriage is a ceremony where two people who love each other tie the knot. In other words it's a celebration of two people who are unified and have no one but each other. But at the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper biding the two together; just because a couple is married doesn't mean they love each other all the time."

"What if we were to get married?" He then questioned.

My eyes soften as I gazed at him across the table.

"There's no doubt that I have feelings for you, Kabuto; maybe I even have love for you. But I can't commit myself to feel anything more than that. It's not your fault; I just can't feel that." I explained genuinely, breaking down a few of my walls. "But that doesn't change the fact that I feel amazing being with you."

Kabuto smiled gratefully at me.

"Marrying you… it's hard to give you an answer now because I don't know what the future holds. What _our_ future holds…" I briefed unsurely.

"I see…"

"What about you?" I asked him, wanting to know his answer.

"There's no doubt that my feelings for you grow every time I'm with you. The first thought about marrying you will be heaven on earth…" He answered softly, fiddling with his fingers. "But I don't want to rush things when they're still developing. My main concern if you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me because I don't want you to feel like you've made a mistake and/or think that it's your fault."

"Really?" I was stunned by his answer.

Kabuto nodded. "All I want is for you to be happy, whether with me or not. Regardless of our relationship, I care about you…" He told me sweetly.

I lightly blushed at him. "I want the same for you, too."

"May I take your order now?" An unidentified voice asked mannerly.

I glance up at the waiter and was baffled to see who it was.

"Hey, you're that gentleman from earlier." I remarked with a smile, happy to see him again. "You work here too?"

"Yes, and I'm honored to serve the two of you once again." He smiled back.

After we ordered our food and drinks, he bowed respectfully and walked away to do his job.

"Such a nice fella." I mused thoughtfully, watching him walk off. "We really need to give him a huge tip. He's such a hard worker."

Kabuto nodded in agreement.

"Too bad you no longer have your souvenir." He thought aloud.

I shrugged at him, not minding it at all.

"Why did you give it to the girl, anyway?" He asked suspiciously.

"Because she fell in love with it, and I don't want her to dread in having it when I could just give it to her." I answered, resting my cheek on my palm. "Besides, it would've been a hassle trying to hide it from Sasuke and Orochimaru. It would get in the way but I also didn't want it to go to waste."

"Clearly she loved you for that gift." He commented with a grin. "Just as much as you loved that baby you were holding."

"Yeah, he was just so precious; I wanted to hold him longer." I smiled blissfully. "Both Akemi and Hiroki are both beautiful children. Ayame and Daichi are so blessed to have them."

"Do you want to be a mother someday?"

"Yes, I do. I'd love to be a mom." I answered incredulously. "I want them to have an amazing life without any worries. I want to protect them from stuff that I had to endure."

"I know for a fact you'll be an excellent mother." He promised certainly. "I hope they inherit your traits, along with your strong will."

"Do you see yourself as a father in the future?" I then asked him curiously.

"Never thought about it, really." He thought aloud, looking aside. "I hope to have children someday."

"With me, right?" I smirked suspiciously. "I'm assuming you want to have kids with me…"

Kabuto smirked back as he nodded in confirmation.

"I'm not all for it… but I'm open to the idea…" I told him quietly.

I knew Kabuto heard what I said because he smiled happily at me. I microscopically smiled back and turned to see the nice fella coming back with our food and our drinks. Once everything was settled, he smiled happily at us.

"Let me know if you need anything."

"We know who to call." I winked at him which stretched his smile even more.

He left us alone and we started consuming the delicious food.

"This is so good…" I stated happily as I chewed.

Kabuto nodded in agreement, focusing his attention on his dish.

"There's something that's been on my mind for a while." He spoke as he gulped down his food.

"What is it?" I inquired then taking a sip of my ice tea.

"You're friends from the Leaf… they referred to you as 'Blain' and not 'Katsumi'…" He analyzed thoroughly. "Why?"

I processed his question, trying to find the easiest way to answer his question and seeing the bigger picture.

"Itachi gave me that name when I was a mere child. He told me it suited me much better and the name just stuck." I answered briefly. "I was born with the clan's visual prowess but I also have a critical and theoretical way of viewing society, people, and life in general hence giving me the name, 'Blain' since it translates to 'eye' in a foreign, extinct language."

Kabuto parted his lips in comprehension, understanding the meaning behind the name.

"When I was at the Academy, I met Naruto and we instantly clicked."

"Naruto?" He repeatedly in confusion.

I nodded. "You see, as a child he had trouble pronouncing or remembering my name so I just told him to call me Blain to make it easier for him. When I met the others, Naruto introduced me to them as my nickname rather than my birth name. I'm pretty sure they don't know that it's not my real name but I never bothered to fuss about it." I justified thoughtfully.

"You were special to him, no doubt." He told me softly. "I assume he's special to you…"

"Of course, he is. Simply put, he makes me happy." I briefed.

I went back to my dish and placed a piece of food in my mouth.

"Itachi gave you that name." Kabuto then spoke, picking up his drink. "Why do you still allow to be called that name after what he has done to you?"

I eyed him and furrowed my eyebrows at his question.

"Where are you getting at?"

"I mean, he's the cold-hearted murderer who slaughtered your entire clan." He implied, taking a sip. "I understand Sasuke's hatred towards him and that he wants revenge on him."

"I'm not Sasuke, Kabuto." I told him sternly, narrowing my eyes. "I don't have to feel the same way he does about Itachi."

"You honestly don't hate him then?" He questioned in shock as his eyes stretched wide.

"I do hate him, but not because of killing our whole clan…" I answered grimly, not directly at him though.

Kabuto remained silent, waiting for me to explain myself. I huffed tiredly and placed my fork on the table. I knew eventually I had to tell the medic-nin eventually about my troubled past simply because he sort of had the right to know in order for him to understand. Plus, he told me his past without second thought and I immediately gained his trust. I always had trust issues—thanks to Itachi—and I found it difficult to rely on others—thanks to Sasuke—so this was new to me, telling my story to someone who wasn't related to me. I wasn't worried about the male judging nor mocking me because he had proven to be loyal.

It was surprising that I was opening up this much to someone for the first time. They said just take baby steps, but it wasn't as easy as it seemed since the steps felt like they were a mile apart.

"When I was young, I was resented and shunned by my own clan because I was born having the Sharingan already activated; they thought that I was inhuman or a danger to them so they would distant themselves from me. They always used to verbally, emotionally, and even sometimes physically bully me every time I walked out of my house." I explained flatly. "Even my own father wanted nothing to do with me and shunned me out of his life to the point where I once believed that he hated me. This resentment from my own flesh and blood caused me to act out and act rebellious just to take out my anger and frustration. I would run away from home countless of times, vandalize the clansmen's objects/properties, hide out somewhere in the Leaf or roam the streets until I was caught. This instead caused more resentment and hate towards me and I couldn't emotionally and mentally take it anymore."

I eyed Kabuto whose attention, eyes, and ears were on me and nothing else. Not because he wanted to know my life just for the fun of it; he genuinely wanted to listen and be compassionate about it. He genuinely wanted to understand because he wanted to properly comfort me. God, just the way he was looking at me made it easier to say more and with that, I continued my life story.

"Ever since I was around four or five, Itachi knew right away I was a danger to myself because I would inflict pain on myself; I didn't want to kill myself, I just did it to feel numb, which I did. You see, besides Sasuke and my mother, Itachi was the only one in my family who loved me dearly and cared about my wellbeing; he took me in as a daughter and a student." I told him gently, gripping the hem of my top. "Since he took me in, he raised me to become an exceptional kunoichi and a magnificent medic ninja; I wouldn't have become a medic if it were for him noticing my talents in focusing my chakra. Even me hating him to the very core, I wouldn't have become this strong and the person I am today if it weren't for him."

"Believe me, I won't be the first person to doubt your abilities." Kabuto scoffed smugly. "Otherwise, I would have to learn that the hard way."

I gave him a microscopic smile as I played with my own fingers.

"If you don't mind me asking…" He implied as he took a bite out of his food. "What did Itachi do exactly for you to hate him?"

"The night when he slaughtered the clan. Don't get me wrong, I would never wish death upon anyone but I couldn't help but feel relieved because I knew I was free from hate and abandonment." I answered dryly, then I closed my eyes hardly to hold back emotions I felt in the past. "What really got to me was the person he was in front of my eyes…"

Kabuto blinked at me curious, waiting patiently for me to continue. I lowered my head and gripped my hem even tighter; I was using almost all of my willpower not to snap in anyway.

"When I walked in, I saw Sasuke hurt and Itachi in front of us, staring down at us emotionlessly. I didn't know what to think; the fact that he killed this many people was appalling because I knew he would never to that. But alas, he confirmed to me that he killed everyone just for the sake of his 'abilities'." I slowly explained in a shaky tone. "He then went onto saying that he lied about everything he said to me; he said that he agreed and felt empathy for our clansmen for hating and despising me. The only reason why he took me under his wing was because the plan was to make me stronger so that they could use me as a source of power; their plan was to kill me and seal my soul somewhere, if I'm correct. I'm not certain with their motives…"

"So the things he's said and done for you were all lies…" Kabuto summarized sadly.

I nodded. "He said that I wasn't human and that there were days where he had an urge to execute me out of spite and hate but didn't because he wanted to watch me suffer every single day. In his heart, he loathed me and it grew every single time he was with me. Finally after hearing all this, he felt relieved in telling me his true feelings about me and went ahead to kill me on the spot."

"He tried to kill you… even after telling you how much he hated you…" Kabuto seethed angrily, having a new-founded hate for my oldest sibling.

"Luckily I was able to dodge and fend him off, until I realized that he turned his attention towards Sasuke—who was traumatized to the core—and targeted him. Without thinking I used my body to protect him from a fatal blow, and it resulted me having a punctured artery. I laid there bleeding, waiting for my death as Sasuke held me close until I took my last breath." I told him in a murmur.

I could see Kabuto grasping the armrest very tightly to the point where he could just rip it right off.

"I can still picture the look on Sasuke's poor face as I was losing consciousness, begging me not to die on him and keep on fighting. I felt his tears dripping down on me as we sat in the pool of my own blood." I shakenly added, sounding like I was next to sobbing.

"But you're still here. How?" Since Kabuto was a medic like myself, he knew that I wouldn't have been able to survive a blow like that.

"Like you, my body is able to heal itself and my body slowly but surely healed itself." I replied. "However, not completely because I was still unconscious and I sustained a lot of damage."

Kabuto gave a moment to himself to think over the things I told him.

"So you and Sasuke hate him, but he wants to get revenge." He implied, furrowing his eyebrows.

I nodded.

"What are your current feelings for your brother anyway?" He asked me interestedly.

I lowered my head, taking a bite of my food to give me time to give him a good enough answer. In all honesty, I wasn't exactly sure myself since it had been a while since I had seen him. In fact, I wasn't sure if he was still around; he could've been already caught by the Leaf.

"I do hate Itachi for what he's done to me, but I have no interest in wasting my time or energy to find him and kill him just to prove my point. At one point I felt the same way Sasuke did and wanted to kill him, but I eventually learned that it wouldn't make me feel better and moved on." I answered thoughtfully, answering the question to myself too. "Eventually I'll see his face and maybe if the opportunity is there, maybe. Until then, I'll let Sasuke take care of it."

"You handled your problems well, unlike me…" Kabuto smiled softly.

I shrugged at his compliment. I wasn't sure if my way of handling it was right or Sasuke's. I just went the easy route while the raven decided to go through the complicated way, in my opinion. But compared to Kabuto, it was hard to put a finger on it because it was probably natural for him to do stuff and I empathized that. However he wasn't taking his feelings out on those who were responsible for his sorrow, which made him just as guilty. But I wasn't saying what I was doing was right either. If anything, I was probably acting like a brat not wanting to talk at all.

"You can say that." I acknowledged monotonously. "Frankly—and I can't believe I'm saying this—but at the end of the day, Itachi's my brother and we'll always have a sibling connection no matter the circumstances. We shouldn't be out to kill each other…"

"That's understandable." He agreed.

"Not for Sasuke." I snorted cockily. "We're still not talking because I told him that revenge as a goal is futile and sad. Of course he wasn't pleased with me saying that…"

"Everyone copes differently, whether if it's accepting it and moving on or taking out the anger on something else." Kabuto implied simply. "If revenge is his way in coping, then so be it. You can't force someone to cope one way if it isn't going to help them…"

I shrugged.

"Speaking of Sasuke, I curious about your relationship with him…" He stated intriguingly, implying that I should explain.

"Before I turned seven, he and I never gotten along however he never resented me like our clan; call it tough love, I guess. Then one day he let his feelings pour out with rage and dislike in front of me and our family. I thought he was like everyone else in our clan but after learning the truth about my pain and suffer, he changed his ways and amended our relationship. Since then we were very close; he was my best friend…" I described while looking softly at him.

Kabuto ate his food as he gave me his full attention.

"When we graduated the Academy, there was a slight gap between us since the massacre but we were close nonetheless. But after that night, Sasuke became protective of me after what I've been through up until the Uchiha clan mass murder. It sometimes got annoying, especially when I started dating Neji because he thought he's just another person that will hurt me someday." I continued with ease. "He even went as far as accusing me for having 'feelings' for Naruto because I was around him most of the time, which isn't true at all; he was like a little brother, nothing more nothing less."

"When did things change?" He asked curiously as he took a sip.

"After we'd encountered Itachi; we hadn't been together since he left us. Sasuke got to him first and tried to kill him while he almost got himself killed. Luckily I got there just in time before he was done for." I answered emotionlessly as I gripped the armrest tightly. "Since then, he became distant towards me and acted a bit off. He was more quiet and stoic than before but I brushed it off and figured he was just rattled up from Itachi's genjutsu."

"But you took that for granted, and it was more than just that…" Kabuto theorized vaguely.

I nodded at him and took a huge bite of my food.

"What about now?"

I signalled him to wait a moment as I gulped down my food.

"Before our 'heated' conversation, we barely spoke to each other nor see each other because his mindset was on getting stronger and getting revenge. Although we still acknowledged each other and carried a good level of respect." I answered lowly. "Right now, we're not talking at all. I'm not sure if he's just upset with me which is making him not want to talk to me or he's just being hesitant about it. Either way, he's a completely different person and I want nothing to do with him…"

Kabuto made a face that expressed his unpleasantness to my words but I ignored him and instead threw him a glare that forced him to not say a word about it.

"You're face looks like it's accusing me that I don't love my brother…" I huffed accusingly. "I love Sasuke to death but he has to own up to what he's done rather than me being the bigger person once again…"

"I guess that's what matters the most…" He sighed in defeat, taking me word for it.

"You know what's funny?" I spoke up, changing the topic. "We both had an older figure that we looked up to as our mentor/parent and loved them so much, yet it didn't turn out well in the end."

"True." He agreed, sipping his drink. "Except Mother died because of me…"

"At least she actually loved and cared about you." I argued, frowning. "And she didn't kill your entire family."

"Then again, I wouldn't be too surprised to learn that they actually abandoned me rather than the war splitting us up…" He pointed out darkly.

"Don't think like that." I scolded irritably.

"Just one more thing…" He notified, earning a frown from me.

"What's with the questions today?" I questioned in annoyance, then sighed in defeat. "What is it?"

"You haven't expressed your feelings about Sasuke being Lord Orochimaru's vessel." He remarked simply, eyeing me intently as he sipped his drink.

I picked up my own glass as I gave out a sigh.

"It is what it is: the snake wants his body and my dumbass brother doesn't give a s**t as long as he achieves his goal. There's nothing I can do about it…" I told him in boredom, taking a sip of my drink. "I've tried to persuade him to rethink, but of course listening isn't Sasuke's forte. Why bother myself with him if he's not going listen to reason? I mean, he's gonna get burned in the end, not me…"

"Because you're his sister." Kabuto answered rhetorically, lifting an eyebrow.

"Like he gives a damn…!" I scoffed, placing my glass hastily on the table.

"He does. You're taking it as if he doesn't care but he does because he's your older brother…" He critiqued solidly, looking at me firmly.

I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration; I didn't like being called out for something that wasn't my fault especially by those who had no clue about anything. The fact that four eyes was taking Sasuke's side when he doesn't like him at all and the raven was obviously the one at fault made me want to slap some sense in that "big brain" of his.

"You know that I once had an older brother, Katsumi…" He mentioned softly. "I still regret leaving him without warning and I have no clue where he is right now. I just want to know if he's alive and alright…"

The look on my face slight fell as I gazed at Kabuto's gloomy face.

"I don't want you to make the same mistake because you'll lose the big brother that has been with you through thick and thin." He muttered pleadingly, clenching his fist. "You should feel lucky to still have someone looking out for you…"

I gave a long, deep look at the medic-nin. Whoever his big brother was— _Urushi_ , I believed—he must've meant a lot to Kabuto because he became depressed when he mentioned his foster sibling. But nevertheless, the bookworm was right. Under the stubbornness, he was my brother and it would kill me if something happened that resulted us being physically separated from each other because I didn't want to live with regret like Kabuto. I didn't want to regret not talking to Sasuke—despite him being difficult—and I knew he felt the same way. We would have to rekindle at some point, it was just a matter of _when_.

"Stop sulking." I commented cockily. "I feel awkward when you're depressed…"

"Katsumi, you have to under—!"

"I understand, alright." I interrupted dryly, finishing off my food and swallowing it down. "And you're right. I should value my relationship with Sasuke more because there's no other person I want as a brother than him. Though I still refuse to apologize, I'll consider amending things with him…"

Hearing this made Kabuto grin, pleased with my words as I rolled my eyes at him.

"Now that that's done, you want to get out of here?" He asked encouragingly.

I gulped the rest of my ice tea and then I nodded at him. With that, we called the kind gentleman over, requesting the bill for our meal. He did what he was told and Kabuto graciously paid for the whole thing. Luckily, he remembered to give the waiter a huge tip for everything he had done for us. The look on his face made our gesture worth double than before and thanked us for our generosity. We exited the restaurant with our hands entwined with each other as we walked down the streets. I figured we were heading back to the inn until Kabuto suddenly stopped walking, preventing me to go any further. I turned my head and eyed him irritably questioning his intentions while he had that smirk on his face.

"Aren't we going back to the inn?" I inquired expectedly, cupping my hand on my hip.

Kabuto shook his head. "Why stop the fun now when the day is still young?" He asked, being rhetorical with me.

"What are you talking about?" I huffed tiredly as I beckoned him to look at the sun setting. "It's almost dark. What else is there to do at this time?"

"Just one small thing." He assured, though I didn't trust him saying that by the way he was looking at me.

"What is it?" I huffed again, expressing my tiredness.

"There's a nightclub down the street over there. I want to hang out there for a bit with you." He told me with hope written in his eyes.

When I heard the word, "nightclub", it instantly brought memories from the past. When I ran away from home because of family issues, I would normally meet up with other run-aways at nightclubs or bars of such and would try out "grown-up stuff". However, those days were over after the Uchiha clan was deceased and gave me no reason to head over to the small towns outside the Leaf. Plus, Sasuke hated that I drank as a young child and made sure I was fifty feet away from any sort of alcohol. Now that Kabuto offered me to go to this club with him, it made me a bit hesitant because I didn't want to live like I did in the past. However it was tempting at the same time.

"Do we have to, Kabuto?" I whined, begging him to drop the idea of lack of energy.

"I barely get to have time off for myself and I want to make the most of it with you." He prompted in a pout as his eyes sparkled in the sun's rays. "Besides, when will it be the next time we get to do this?"

Kabuto made a good point; we were barely allowed to go out unless we had Orochimaru's permission. Plus, this opportunity was very rare for us especially for the medic-nin considering how long he was by the snake's side. And he wanted to spend his free time with me, which was both honoring and sweet of him. After being treated by him, going to this nightclub was the least I could do for him and it could be fun; partying and having fun with him and other people like a normal human being.

"Alright, let's go…" I said nonchalantly.

With a smirk, Kabuto used his grip on my hand to pull me in the opposite direction where the inn was located. It didn't take long for us to halt in front of a big but reasonable-sized establishment. I knew by the sounds of it that it was packed with all the hollering, cheers, and toasts that could be heard a mile away; surprising that there were no complaints. Then again, there was a festival happening so I guess the club had a good excuse to crank things up. Even the streets was cluttered with groups of people slurring and cheering at random people walking past them. I examined the area and noticed that there were those who were stupid drunk, a little tipsy, not drunk at all or so intoxicated that they probably needed a doctor. Despite all this, it didn't faze me at all because this was a common scene for me when I was younger. Now that I was a teen, I had no worries whatsoever.

"Ready to let lose?" I heard Kabuto ask me, tightening his grip on my hand.

I wanted to say that I was prepared for the craziest or the worst, but my brain forced me to remain muted. The fact that there would be alcohol, shots, and possibly joints in the club made my skin crawl. I wasn't scared to fall into a deep hole nor I was afraid to "spiral out of control"; I simply wasn't sure if I was fully ready to do those things again. The reason why I drank was because I wanted to feel numb and take my mind off of things that were making me feel raw and vulnerable; I simply wanted to drink my problems away. Of course as a six-year-old, it wasn't a healthy way of thinking nor doing but I was able to neutralize the alcohol in my body so I wouldn't have alcohol poisoning nor feel intoxicated too hard, too quickly. Now that I was sober—because a child shouldn't be touching anything that contained alcohol in it—and had recovered from my rough past, I didn't want to go back simply because I wasn't that depressed child anymore.

As I thought deeply to myself, I felt a pair of lips brushing my ear gently, causing my body to tingle. I then felt Kabuto's arm wrapping firmly around my waist, pulling me closer towards his body as I rested my hand on his upper chest.

"There's nothing to worry about…" He whispered huskily, briefly kissing my neck. "I'll take good care of you…"

"Sure you will…" I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes at his statement. "Probably just gonna get me drunk and play with me like your damn toy…"

Kabuto leaned away from my ear and let his forehead sit on mine.

"Tempting…" He chuckled lowly, smirking down at me. "But my intentions with you right now are harmless and good. I just want us to let loose and have good company…"

Before I opened my mouth, the grey haired male captured my lips with his own. Normally, I wasn't a huge fan of PDA mostly because I was that type of b***h and I was used keeping that stuff private. My last boyfriend respected this and actually praised it as well. Kabuto on the other hand didn't care who was watching; he was apparently proud of our relationship because he—a bookworm—was dating me—a girl who only came from the Sage, himself. He simply liked to show me off to others and though it felt uncomfortable, it made me feel good and wanted which I didn't mind feeling. He pulled away from my mouth and kissed my forehead.

"I'm questioning if your intentions are actually 'good' now that you just kissed me…" I commented smugly, smirking up at him.

Kabuto's smirk stretched and briefly kissed me once more before heading into the nightclub. Once we walked through the entrance, I immediately took on what was going on in my new, yet familiar surroundings. The club was bigger than I figured when I examined the outside of the building. There was a reasonable-sized bar located at the right side of the club where there was a few bartenders working behind the table as customers piled drink orders on them. I glanced and noticed the tall tables where people stood, hung out, and chatted with friends as they took sips of their drinks. I also heard a bit of music playing in the background to which people who were drunk dancing like there was no tomorrow. There were waitresses running around the place, getting orders and ordered objects to their customers as quickly as possible without spilling a single drop. I took into note that they were dressed in a provocative way; I guessed it was for sales but I don't want to know what. It wasn't as filled, packed, nor stuffy in the place as I originally thought—I mean, I could move around here freely barely bumping into people—but it was still busy nonetheless.

"What do you think?" I was able to hear Kabuto over the music and hollering of other people.

"It's bearable so far. Hopefully I won't get spewed on by anyone or else you'll be lying on it…!" I answered dryly aloud so that he heard me.

He did and dismissed my threat as we walked in further. I thought we were just going to stand near one of the tables located near the middle to the left side of the bar, but instead he was taking me to the back of the club. Kabuto paused in front of a shorter table that had a cushion seat that stretched more than halfway around the table—it simply looked like a circular sofa. I noticed that this was one of few other tables which raised an eyebrow. Apparently this was the more "private" tables which I don't know why they were acted as if they were; there was nothing private about them. Then a woman with long, blonde hair with brown eyes made her way towards us. According to the uniform she was wearing, she was one of the waitresses that was on her regular shift as she smiled kindly at us. Poor girl.

"I see you've already found your reserved area." She acknowledged sweetly.

Reserved? Since when? Did Kabuto planned on coming here from the beginning?

"Yes, thank you." Kabuto nodded mannerly.

The blonde female than turned her eyes to me, keeping her friendly smile intact. "You must be his girlfriend that he mentioned earlier. You're super lucky to have him for him to do this just for you…" She praised genuinely, giving me a soft look with her chocolate-coloured eyes.

"Uh, thanks…" I replied softly, unsure what to say since this was all new to me.

Because of four eyes, I officially hated surprises. Especially those that shouldn't be surprises to begin with.

Kabuto beckoned me to take a seat first graciously as the waitress moved aside for me. Nodding in thanks, I sat on the edge of the soft seat and slid over until I was near the middle of the long, round chair, getting a perfect view of the club in front of me. The medic-nin followed suit and sat right next to me, wasting little time to snake his arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. I didn't mind this gesture and slid a little closer to him, naturally placing a hand on his lap. Once we were settled comfortably, the blonde waitress moved herself in front of us and cleared her throat.

"Now that you're both comfortable, what would you like to drink?" She asked sweetly, popping out a notepad and pen.

"Apple sake cocktail for me." Kabuto said simply.

The waitress nodded as she wrote down his order. She then turned her attentions towards me.

"And what would you like, girlie?" She asked me sweetly with her beautiful smile.

Before I could open my mouth, Kabuto stepped in a millisecond.

"She'll get—."

"Excuse me." I cut him off in a sassy tone, earning the attention of both Kabuto and the girl. "I don't remember asking _you_ to order for me…"

Kabuto was sort of stunned by the way I interrupted him while the waitress stood there patiently, waiting for my order to be said so she could do her job. I glanced at her, making sure she was all ears.

"I would like a cherry sake cocktail." I ordered proudly, watching her write down my exact words. "Along with a cherry-mango margarita, thank you."

"Alright then." She nodded in confirmation and smiled at us. "I'll be back with your drinks."

After saying our thanks, she left us alone towards the bar to request our drinks to the bartenders. I gazed deeply at the situation in front of me, taking an interest in the craziness of the stupid drunks running around. That was, until Kabuto nudged me to get my attention.

"Well, that was something…" He mused thoughtfully.

When he said that I glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you came in just to order something that was out of the ordinary from someone like you… as if you knew exactly what they had to offer…" He analyzed thoroughly as he eyed me suspiciously.

"Did you expect anything less from me?" I questioned flatly, clawing onto his tan pants.

"Well, yes. I mean… you're underage… yet you know exactly what you wanted…" He answered bluntly, though he struggled to find the right words.

I huffed at his comment as I laid back on the soft-cushioned seat. I picked up the glass of water which was offered to us before we seated ourselves in our reserved spot, inching towards my lips.

"Remember at dinner when I told you about me running away from home because of my family?" I remarked lowly; I never liked talking about my past because I just hated looking back at those memories I never wanted to remember.

"Yeah, what about it?" Kabuto nodded, moving himself further in the seat to look at my face.

"Well, I would usually head over to the smaller towns outside of the Leaf Village and meet up with my run-away buddies that they too ran away from home." I explained briefly, trying to give him the bigger picture in a short amount of time. "We would normally go to bars like these but smaller and drink all of the fruity, alcoholic drinks and socialize on how f**ked up our lives were because they tasted so damn good. It's become a common a common thing for us and we sometimes meet up just to chill and s**t like that and drink some good, sweet sake."

"So, you were an alcoholic child, right?" Kabuto presumed simply, frowning at this fact.

I snapped my onyx eyes at him in exasperation to his presumption, causing him to feel a bit anxious by my reaction. I didn't realize the look I was giving him was making him nervous because I reacted to his guess badly and softened my eyes a bit apologetically though I still kept a serious look.

"Sorry I reacted that way. I just don't like it when people accuse me for being an 'alcoholic' or getting crap for being an underage drinker as if it will ever affect their lives just a bit." I justified plainly, looking down on my knees. "Even Sasuke holds this against me just so that I won't do anything 'bad' ever again. He thinks that I have an 'addiction' to it and wants me to stay away from it as much as possible. That annoys me so much because even my own damn brother thinks that I have a problem that should be fixed."

"That all depends…" Kabuto responded truthfully, trying to be careful with his words. "Can you control the amounts you're consuming? Do you know when you've had enough?" He questioned me concernedly, making sure my wellbeing.

"Of course I can." I answered hardly, furrowing my brows. "I never get hammered or even remotely drunk because I'm really good at neutralizing alcohol. Plus, I know when I've had too much and simply cut myself off. When I _do_ drink a lot, it's only because I wanted to feel numb."

"What is your relationship with alcohol right now?" He questioned curiously, picking up his glass of water.

I took a sip out of my glasses that I held in my hand and placed it carefully on the table.

"I haven't been drinking since the day after the Uchiha massacre mainly because my clan was the cause of me consuming alcohol in the first place." I gruffly answered, adjusting myself on the seat. "Because of Sasuke, my friends, and my newly-found peace in mind, I cut myself off of it all together."

"Well, that's good to hear." Kabuto sighed in relief, laying back with me and interweaved his fingers with mine. "I'm responsible for your safety and health; underage drinking is one of them. I'm fine with you having a drink or two unless you can control the amount."

I glanced at Kabuto defensively and pouted, "I already told you, Kabuto: I can take care of myself…"

"Don't take it as if I'm babying you because I'm not." He amended softly, gazing gently at me. "Just because we're here to enjoy ourselves and let loose doesn't mean I shouldn't protect you from getting yourself hurt or ill. You feeling safe and comfortable are what I care about…"

I already knew that me wellbeing was important to him from the beginning, but him saying it aloud without hesitation or shame made it feel more real and believable.

"Thank you…" I breathed in gratitude, clawing on his lap. "And I promise to be good around 'big people juice'." I added sarcastically.

Kabuto laughed humorously then he kissed the side of my head sweetly. The next thing I knew, the waitress from before returned with our orders. She graciously placed them in front of us and smiled kindly. With a smile, Kabuto reached behind him and pulled out the money he owed for our drinks to which the blonde female nodded and took the bills out of his hands.

"If you need refills and such, just head over to the bartenders and they'll be pleased to serve you." She told us brightly.

Kabuto and I nodded in thanks and allowed her to carry out her duties. I picked up my cherry-flavoured sake and took a sip. Just the taste of it brought so much feelings and memories from my past; I remembered vividly the sense of relief after the first sip. I took another sip and it was better than the first. My muscles and mind was relieved from any stress I had carried, feeling as though I was floating. I felt a nudge from the grey haired Nin as I responded by resting my head on his shoulder. He too took a sip from his drink and exhaled heavily.

"How's the taste of good old memories?" He asked me slyly, nuzzling my hair.

"I wouldn't call it good memories as they are old memories…" I shrugged lazily, gulping a large amount. "I guess it's… _refreshing_ …?"

Kabuto scoffed at my questionable statement and shifted his upper body towards me. This forced me to remove my head from his retreating shoulder. I raised my eyebrow when he held out his glass in front of me.

"Here's to us being ordinary humans." He proclaimed in a toast with a smirk on his face.

I couldn't help but smirk back at his toast, to which I gently tapped my glass against his respectfully.

"And for not having any blood on us for once." I added sarcastically, earning a chuckle from the male.

Kabuto and I gulped down the rest of our drinks until we slammed our glasses in unison, feeling the relaxing effects of the alcohol streaming throughout our bodies. As specialists in medical ninjutsu, we both neutralized the concentration of the alcohol consumed for precaution of getting hammered or alcohol poisoning. Despite this, we still felt our bodies reacting expectedly to the liquid as it should to feel some relief. I slouched against the cushioned seat, sighing heavily in relaxation.

"That… was _so_ f**kin' good." I huffed blissfully, slightly slurring my words. "Tasted just as good as I remembered…"

"Yep, and the effects is just like I expected…" Kabuto nodded in agreement, slinging his arm around my neck.

"Have you ever drank before?" I asked him lowly, locking my hand with his hand that was dangling past my shoulder.

"Yes, but rarely." Kabuto answered as his words were slurring a bit too. "Since I barely have time for myself, I don't have the time to take a shot or two, y'know?"

"That's reasonable." I shrugged.

With my free hand, I reached over and slid the second drink I ordered towards me which cocked Kabuto's eyebrow a bit.

"Why did you order two drinks?" He questioned in confusion, wanting to know my intentions.

"They're both not for me." I replied. "This one you and I will share."

With that, I reached over for the two straws the blonde waitress kindly left for us. Kabuto watched me as I removed the plastic covers and plopped them in the margarita. I went ahead and took a sip as the medic-nin waited for any sort of reaction. The second I pulled away from my straw, my eyes lit up with joy as the sweet, cool, savouring liquid melted in my mouth.

"You honestly have to try this, Kabuto!" I prompted beamingly. "This stuff is the s**t!"

From the corner of my eye, Kabuto gave me a long look to which I couldn't care less. The drink was just so damn good.

"You ordered this for the both of us?" He questioned simply, sounding a bit awkward. "As in… to share?"

I pulled away from the straw and gave him a frown. "Duh. That's what couples do, right?"

Without hesitation, Kabuto leaned in and sipped the drink as I did the same. I noticed that the medic-nin's eyes lit up when his taste buds touched the drink. We pulled away when the glass was less than half full. Kabuto brushed his hair with his fingers as I placed my weight on his body.

"I feel so numb…" I moaned tiredly, my lips brushing his neck. "Brings back so much memories…"

"Being drunk?" Kabuto presumed huskily, slipping his hand near my inner thigh.

"No, stupid. I told you I've never been drunk ever." I argued irritably. "I get tipsy on purpose because it helps me forget about anything that happens and just living the moment."

"What happens when you get 'tipsy'?" He asked curiously, burying his face in my hair.

"From sources, I turn into an eight-year-old child pouncing all over the place after eating a truck load of candy. Others claim that I get super hyped, super easily…" I answered unsurely, hearing my voice starting to slur.

"I see… you're more fun when you consume alcohol… makes sense…" He smirked playfully.

I was too busy kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin on his neck, earning moans of pleasure from Kabuto himself. I could already tell my decision in letting the alcohol I had consumed travel throughout my body within came to play, as I started to feel myself slowly fleeing from reality. I was in a state of floating, forgetting the negativity I carried within me and let out my unconscious but happy side. My hand subconsciously slithered under Kabuto's shirt, feeling every part of his toned abdomen as I continued to kiss his neck hardly. Because of my slightly drunk, seductive movements on the male, said person's moans wafted into my ears; he pleaded with his pleasured cries to continue. I would've granted his wish if he hadn't leaned away and smashed his lips against my own, kissing me with hot passion. I betted he was slight intoxicated too when his mouth on mine and his hands all over my body were erotic and slightly rough. Although I didn't mind since my movements on him were just as much too. After making out for a good minute, my grey headed partner pulled away a bit to gaze into my eyes but his lips still slightly laying on mine.

"Why do you lips taste sweet…?" He breathed hoarsely in a low voice, briefly licking my lips.

Dismissing this strange but hot act, I slightly smirked at his questions. "Because of the cherry-flavoured-themed drinks I had…" I answered matter-of-factly.

"I highly doubt it…" He disagreed smugly as he kissed me. "The taste of them makes me hungry for more…"

I scoffed. "You taste good yourself, four eyes…"

One side of me was infatuated in the moment: alcohol being served with my equally tipsy partner, kissing me inside out. Another side of me was disappointed of myself being seductive to Kabuto, despite having all the more reason to. It wasn't like me to "throw" myself on men and make face-babies with them, never mind drinking with them. If it was anyone else who replaced the bookworm, I would immediately be disgusted and hit the road. Kabuto, on the other hand, made me feel comfortable around different surroundings and made sure I was okay. So the fact that he was holding me firmly didn't bothered me at all, especially since I was now ninety percent here in reality.

"The two of you are just too cute!" A familiar yet unfamiliar voice complimented happily, referring to us as we still held each other.

We both turned our heads and immediately recognized the blond female who served us earlier. As she held a serving tray in front of us, she smiled kindly at the image she was seeing of us with our grip on one another. Kabuto had his arms tightly around my waist as my arms were wrapped around his neck. I would say I was sort of embarrassed, but in the state I was in, I couldn't care less.

"Sorry for interrupting your little fun." She smiled apologetically, placing two small glasses on our table. "I wanted to give you these, on the house…"

I parted my lips to thank the girl's kindness, until my eyes laid on the exact objects she placed. No doubt about it… they were shots glasses with the sinful, burning, damned liquid in them. I felt my heart beating in my chest hardly as I lost my ability to take in oxygen. I felt Kabuto's arm snaking around my waist as he placed a kiss on my cheek then he turned his attention towards the waitress.

"Thank you very much." He smiled kindly. "We appreciate your gesture greatly…"

The blonde waved dismissively. "Don't even mention it, honeys." She then left us alone to continue her shift.

Kabuto slid one of the small glasses towards him as I did the same but a lot slower. My stomach started to turn as I stared daggers at the transparent liquid in the shot glass. I gulped down my nervousness, trying to hide it from the medic-nin.

"What's wrong?" He asked concernedly, clearly knowing something was amiss.

I shrugged. "Been a while since I took a shot…" I mused deeply, recalling those moments.

"You scared?"

I glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow. "Why would I be scared?"

Kabuto shrugged then smirked arrogantly. "Because by the looks of it… you can't handle even one."

His answer made my jaw drop in offense, making his smirk stretch even wider.

"Wanna bet, a**whole?" I countered coldly, gripping the glass tightly.

Kabuto nodded in acceptance, up for a challenge. We picked up our shots simultaneously and made a silent toast. Without any sound, we gulped down the burning liquid in one gulp as it travelled down to our stomachs, leaving a burning trail in our chests and throats. Slamming our cups in unison, our faces scrunched in pain and discomfort as we immediately felt the backlash of the shot already; it was strong to say the least. Shots were harder to neutralize than any other alcoholic drink, so now both Kabuto and I were tipsier than before.

"I… f**kin' told you I wasn't a p***y!" I gloated, slurring my words heavier than before through gritted teeth.

"Wouldn't blame you if you chickened out because this was a harder kick than I originally thought." He staggered lowly, coughing with his itchy burning throat.

I held my head in pain, already feeling the backlash of the shot I took. I briefly used medical ninjutsu to treat the migraine because it was too painful to brush off. Once I called off my chakra, I moved myself closer to Kabuto and placed my weight on him as he didn't seem to mind when he pulled me closer to him. Though I felt tired and lazy, I was actually enjoying myself; a day off with Kabuto was way better than I had thought in mind. Just spending quality time with him made me feel calm and rejuvenating; I hoped to go out with him more often in the near future.

"You doing okay?" He asked me softly, nuzzling my head and enjoying the softness of my hair.

I nodded. "Yeah, I am. I've never felt this relaxed since forever…" I answered deeply.

"Me too…" He agreed, snaking his arm around my waist underneath my top.

I shifted myself to gaze up at Kabuto's dark eyes as my hand subconsciously slid under his shirt, caressing his firm lower torso. As I noticed that he didn't mind this, I slid up even further to the point where my hand almost reached to his chest. The feeling of his firm, soft, tanned skin was so hot and alluring. He then followed suit and slipped his hand under my shirt, dragging his delicate fingers up my back as I felt my shirt being lifted. I pushed against his body until he laid back on the chair and I was towering over him with my hand still rubbing his bare abdomen. The medic-nin stared up into my eyes in bliss as I gave him a curious look.

"What is it?" I questioned simply, giving a brief kiss on his lips.

Kabuto's eyes then got softer and glossier, which made my heart melt a little.

"I'm happy that I'm with the most amazing, beautiful, strong woman like you… especially today…" He breathed sweetly, smiling blissfully. "Being with you with the freedom we're given was merely a dream of mine. I always wanted something like this and you gave it to me. You're my miracle, Katsumi…"

Hearing his brief speech about me almost made my eyes tear up. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I could tell that my cheeks were turning red because of how flustered Kabuto made me feel. Also, I had consumed liquid with above average alcohol concentration. When I was tipsy, I got happy and my feelings were let out in public. Basically, I was acting as if I was a typical, hormonal girl. Then again, the medic-nin was just as tipsy as I was while his cheeks were just as red so his feelings were raw to everyone.

"Hearing you pouring your feelings for me is cheesy." I slurred smugly, shifting so that I was sitting on my knees until I completely towered over the male. "But it's also cute. You sound so lovesick…"

Kabuto hastily grabbed the back of my head and pulled down towards his face, smashing my lips on his. It was all so sudden, yet I immediately responded to it because apparently, I got hungry for lips when I wasn't in reality. I felt my partner's hands roaming my back until it stopped and slipped underneath my top, feeling my skin as he teased on my bra. I knew he wasn't actually going to do anything inappropriate nor out-of-line because teasing was a part of Kabuto's nature. Despite this, it was super-hot. He briefly pulled away as we both panted lightly.

"And you look seductive, touching me in a way you wouldn't have if you were sober…" He smirked slyly. "You're just as hungry as I am…"

I rolled my eyes and voluntarily leaned in once again, tasting the previous drinks he had consumed. A moment passed when I pulled back and tried to gain my breath back as the male did the same. He straightened himself up as I dusted myself off casually.

"Katsumi?"

"Hm?"

"Be a dear and refill my water?" He asked sweetly with a cocky smirk.

"You're really funny, y'know?" I scoffed, slurring my words with heated cheeks.

"Please?" He prompted in a begging tone. "I'm really thirsty…"

I rolled my eyes then I snatched his glass away from him. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Thanks." He chirped happily, still smirking as if something was funny.

I huffed as I slid off my seat and walked over to the bar section. Luckily, it was less crowded than before, so requesting a refill was easier than originally thought. I handed the used glass to a bartender and I watched him rinse the cup before preparing it fancily. I probably zoned out as I waited because I had no clue that someone was eyeing me thoroughly as they treaded their way towards me.

"Well, well. Look how much you've grown, kiddo!" An unknown male's voice commented lively, causing me to jump in shock.

I knew this guy was referring to me since I did looked like a child compared to the others so I glanced over to the said person who spoke to me. He was pretty tall with dark brown shaggy hair, dark brown eyes, average built, and tanned skin. He wore a red V-neck shirt with a black fighter jacket over it, beige jeans, and black shoes. He was handsome in my opinion with his perfect, unpredictable grin he sent my way as his eyes shinned with the lights in the room. I frowned at myself for thinking this player was good-looking; I guessed I was more than just a little tipsy.

"Damn, puberty did you wonders!" He grinned brightly, the same grin Naruto usually gave to his friends.

Then I lifted an eyebrow at the stranger because he looked and talked as if he knew me for a long time. Problem was, I had no clue who this man was. Apparently, the brunette caught the look I was giving him, shrinking his grin to a small smile.

"Who the hell are you?" I questioned hardly, trying to hide the fact that I was a little unbalanced.

The boy gaped at my question like I said something horrifying. He then laughed half-heartedly at me to which I frowned irritably at him.

"What the f**k is so funny!?" I gritted impatiently, ready to pounce if something went wrong.

The stranger halted his chuckling but he still kept the confident smile on his face. He eyed me with both lust and enthusiasm.

"S**t, even after all those years, you're still at it with the cussing." He scoffed slyly, slowly shaking his head. "Well, it's comforting to know that you haven't changed _that_ much."

"Huh?" I was literally confused with the guy's words.

That or the drinks took a toll on my IQ.

"C'mon, Kat." The brunette urged encouragingly, pushing me to recall my past memories. "Don't you remember me?"

I tried my hardest to use my brain power and mind together to piece two and two together to remember at least one small thing about the guy. Obviously he knew me from somewhere to which I completely forgot or carried no memories whatsoever. But he was convinced that he knew me meaning that I did encountered him before our encounter right now. I tried to turn back the clock in my head. From Squad 7, to the days of the Academy, anything in my past that linked to this boy somehow. As I tried to recall, said male waited patiently for me to remember him as I assumed he wasn't going to give up until I remembered. I thought this would take forever since I probably met with him long before I was a genin and it currently wasn't the right time to ask me to recall someone I barely or don't even know at the tipsy state I was in. Nevertheless, I tried my damn hardest just to get this guy to leave me alone and get the hint that he was nothing than a stranger to me. Before I opened my eyes and excused him for playing a trick on me, a lightbulb went off in my head. I snapped my eyes wide open in realization, finally recognizing the boy to which he grinned gratefully.

"So, you finally remembered." He mused proudly, cupping his hands on his hips. "Took you long enough."

I was stunned because this guy who claimed to know who I was and who claimed that I knew him was telling the truth. I knew exactly who he was, which made it even more shocking. It really had been years since I saw him and anything was barely said since it was vague. But now that he was here in front of me in a time and place like this, it seemed as if fate decided to either punish me for drinking as much as I did, or rewarding me for whatever that seemed rewardable.

"Y-You're…" I stuttered lowly, trying to speak without sounding appalled. "Holy s**t!"

* * *

 **Holy s**t indeed. And that's Chapter 21 guys! Sorry for the long wait once again. I had a last minute road trip with a friend and I just came back. Anyways, I really hope you guys like it cause more interesting stuff happens in the next chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**S**t, it's been a month since I last posted. Wow, I'm SO sorry. If you want to know what's been happening lately, check out my author note after the end of this chapter.**

 **But you know… don't just skip the damn thing. Enjoy reading Chapter 22!**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Commitment **

**Kabuto's POV:**

I cocked an eyebrow in suspicion as I watched Katsumi talked to the unknown male. I had no clue who this guy was yet the ravenette seemed to know exactly who he was by the way she was talking and she even gave him a friendly hug and smile. In fact, I had never seen her this happy to see someone unlike this guy which begged the question if these two had had a past that I didn't know of. Or, it was the alcohol doing all of her talking and moving but it still sort of bothered me. I had never pegged myself as the jealous time and I wasn't. This guy was good-looking, charismatic, mysterious and charming. I was worried that he would sweep her off her feet in a second; how could I compete with that?

"Kabuto!" My partner's cheery voice called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked up and saw her scrambling over my way with said boy. I resisted the urge to glare at the brunette, not wanting to look like a defensive, jealous boy. Katsumi dismissed my dead silent self as she smiled brightly at me.

"This is Rai-Rai, Kabuto!" She beamed in glee. "He's one of my oldest friends ever! Lucky for us to bump into each other at a time like this!"

I secretly glared at Katsumi's hand gripping tightly on the brunette's hand, fuming within me. I couldn't believe that I was jealous of this punk. I was confident and had faith in my relationship with the girl, but the sight in front of me made me want to throw up and then break something.

This guy shyly scratched the back of his head as he looked aside, embarrassed by the ravenette's friendliness.

"Back at it again with that nickname of yours…" He sighed with a grin then hastily hugging her with one arm around her neck as he laughed. "You know how I feel about you calling me 'Rai-Rai'."

"Aw, but I _like_ that nickname!" She whined as she playfully pouted, awkwardly hugging the boy back.

"Okay, _Kitten_." He smirked mockingly as he earned a displeased look from myself.

"S**t! Don't tell me you remembered that f**kin' nickname!" She cried complainingly.

"But you were so cute when you were just a baby, Kitten!" He playfully pouted, lightly pitching her cheek. "You were as cute as a baby kitten!"

Katsumi slapped his hand away from her face. "I was _six_ , dumbass!" She snapped.

As they took turns, mocking each other, I literally lost my patience. I was getting tired of them pretending that I didn't existed so I decided to put a stop to it. I cleared my throat obnoxiously loud to gain their attention. Once I was satisfied with their eyes and ears on me, I glanced at Katsumi.

"Katsumi… care to explain what's going on?" I prompted encouragingly, sounding a bit annoyed with what was in front of me.

"Oh, my bad, bro…" The brunette smiled in guilt, combing his hair with his fingers. "The name's Raiden. But Kitten refers to me as Rai-Rai since we were kids."

I gave a dull look at Raiden as he felt the heaviness of my glare, feeling more awkward by every passing second. I could tell he had no clue how to handle this moment of silence, which resulted a microscopic smirk on my face. Suddenly, I felt a familiar figure making herself comfortable on my lap to which I blushed and wrapped my arms around her waist, keeping her from slipping. She threw one arm around my neck, pulling me closer to her.

"This is Kabuto." She introduced contently. "He's my boyfriend."

I immediately choked on my introduction. Did she just called me her… _boyfriend_? And did she said that without hesitation nor a care in the world. After she told me she didn't see me more than an intimate partner yet she went out on a limb and said that I was her boyfriend. It made me a bit uncomfortable but all the more glad since I considered her as my girlfriend since the beginning.

"You've got to be f**kin' kidding me!" Raiden scoffed. "The hell are you thinking, hanging out with a f**kboy like him! Plus, you're still just a kid, Kitten!"

"What do you mean by that?" I spoke up, unpleased with the boy's tone when he referred to me.

"Don't give me that s**t! I can do whatever the f**k I want!" Katsumi snapped irritably. "And you're a f**kin' hypocrite for calling Kabuto a f**kboy!"

"Listen, don't take it the wrong way." He huffed deeply. "I'm just looking out for you, 'kay? I still see you as a kid…"

I blinked in realization: they were more like close friends, if not, siblings. Raiden was acting like a big brother to Katsumi. That thought was a bit heartwarming since I now don't have to worry about anything. I was pulled from my train of thought by the sight of the ravenette's dismissive hand.

"It's the age difference… so it's cool…" She shrugged then placed a smile on her face. "But I'm still so happy to see you!"

"Me too! I missed you so much, man. I was wondering the next time I get to see you since it's been years since we've last spoken." Raiden grinned in glee.

"Because my whole family got killed and a lot of other s**t happened." She cut in bluntly, then beckoning the brunette to take a seat to which he happily did.

"Yeah, I heard rumors about it. I also heard that your bro, Itachi, was the killer…" He replied in a gruff.

Katsumi nodded, confirming to all the rumors Raiden listed. He lowered his head as he clenched his fist on the table.

"That's f**ked up. After everything you've been through, him being your protector and only guardian…" He gritted angrily, preventing himself from throwing something across the room. "You don't deserve it one bit. I'm sorry, Kat. I wish I was there by your side…"

"It's not your fault, Rai-Rai. I've learned to move on from it." She assured with a small smile then entwined her fingers with mine. "Besides, I have Kabuto and that redeems it a bit."

Hearing that made me feel lighter inside and I lifted our joined hands to kiss hers. She glanced at my gesture and smiled brightly at me as I smiled back.

"Well I'm happy that you're in a good place in your life for once. Now I don't have to worry about you since brosky has your back, right?" The brunette turned to be expectedly.

"I'll always be there for her anytime she needs me. She means a lot to me and I want nothing more than her feeling comfortable and safe." I responded determinedly, tightening my grip on her hand.

"Good answer, bro." He nodded approvingly then he turned to the ravenette. "He's a catch, Kat. I approve!"

"F**k yeah, he is!" She proclaimed proudly, turning to me with a smile. "He's the coolest person ever and he always takes good care of me. My days are better when I'm with him!"

I couldn't help but blush at her words. I was sort of aware that she was more loose and brighter when she was induced in alcohol, but I was taken off guard when I realized her inner feelings and thoughts pour out of her mouth. I wondered if she would regret saying any of this when she sobered up. I smiled softly to myself as I gazed deeply at Katsumi. Her face lit up and smiled back at me.

"I'm happy that I found this amazing human being!" She concluded beamingly, hastily giving me a kiss on the lips.

"My thoughts exactly…" I replied to myself lowly as the two didn't catch what I just said.

"So Rai-Rai, what brings you here?" Katsumi then asked casually, offering a conversation.

Raiden exhaled as he laid back a bit. "Y'know me, Kitten. Going around, place-to-place, travelling until something catches my eye and explore." He answered simply, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"Same old, same old, huh?" She commented vaguely.

Raiden nodded. I decided to remain quiet and listen to their conversation; I want to get some sort of backstory of this man out of curiosity. It would've been awkward and uncomfortable for him to answer bombarding questions when this route was easier.

"Yeah. I thought it would be sweet taking my girlfriend out to town, since there's this hyped club and this is our last night here until we head back home." He briefly explained, grinning charmingly.

I aimlessly glanced over to Katsumi, who had a look that someone made when they saw a demon. This cocked my eyebrow because at the state she was in, there was no telling what made her this surprised.

"You… have a _girlfriend_ …?" She repeated surprisingly. "No f**kin' way!"

"Yeah way!" He snapped in annoyance, offended by the girl's disbelief. "And guess who it is…?"

Katsumi and I waited anxiously to find out who was the "lucky" girl with the brunette. After a moment later of nothing, I lost hope into finding out who this girlfriend was. Until I felt another, unfamiliar presence coming towards us and I looked up to see the identity. I raised an eyebrow in question to see a young, beautiful woman standing in front of our table. She couldn't be one of the waitresses because she had no uniform on. Along with the lack of work attire, she had indigo, shoulder-length, wavy hair with blunt bangs, soft pale skin, and wore fitted leggings and a fashionable beige coat. She had a friendly smile and her icy blue eyes shinned as bright as sapphires.

I was about to part my lips to speak but a certain Uchiha beat me to it.

"No way…" She cut in incredulously, her eyes widened in realization. "Is that you, Miyuki?"

So—supposedly—the unknown female was named Miyuki. Such a fitting name for someone like her. Speaking of which, she seemed a bit confused for a second until she too widened her eyes, recognizing Katsumi too.

"Katsumi?" She guessed, receiving a nod from said female and she slapped on a happy grin. "Oh my god, I can't believe it's really you! It's been ages since I last saw you! You look so good!"

Katsumi squeezed past me, trying her best not to hurt me, and stood in front of her old friend a she pulled her in for a hug.

"Holy s**t, I missed you so much! You look amazing yourself!" She exclaimed happily, pulling away to get a good look at the girl.

"Oh, thank you." She blushed lightly, looking aside.

"Still flustered, huh?" Katsumi giggled. "You haven't changed…"

"I hope the same for you, Katsumi." She replied with a small smile.

I watched with a smile at the scene I was witnessing: Katsumi catching up with an old, close friend of hers, smiling blissfully. It made me happy when I saw her enjoying herself with others; it showed me a different, amazing side of her I wouldn't be able to see after this.

"What are you doing here this late, anyway?" The ravenette asked her friend curiously.

"I was looking for Raiden." Miyuki huffed, glancing at him with a soft look. "He has the tendency to run off on his own when he sees something interesting."

"You're talking as if I'm a _dog_ , Miyuki!" The brunette cut in, offended.

The indigo haired female chuckled softly, sitting closely beside Raiden. "Don't take it the wrong way, hon…" She assured sweetly, placing a peck on his cheek.

"You're lucky you're so kind and gentle, dammit…" He grunted with a smile, wrapping an arm around her to pull her closer to him.

So far nothing really fazed me until my eyes caught on Katsumi shocked face again.

"Wait a second!" She commanded urgently, gaining everyone's attention. "You guys are a _couple_ now!?" She summarized in shock.

I glanced at the couple across from me. Miyuki didn't seemed to want to say anything as she blushed with her eyes glued to the ground. This left Raiden to explain everything and he knew this as he prepared himself to give an answer.

"Yeah, we are. She's the girlfriend I just mentioned." He confirmed lowly, adjusting his position. "We went out a while back and… we really hit it off…"

"Well s**t, I would've never pegged you to as a couple; you guys are so different." Katsumi commented dryly, dropping her shoulders.

"Opposites attract, I guess." Miyuki responded meekly, still refusing to look up.

"Bulls**t." She bluntly stated.

"How's that 'bulls**t' when you're dating someone who's a polar opposite of you too?" Raiden gawked.

The brunette had a point.

"Kabuto and I aren't as different from one another as you and Miyuki are!" The ravenette countered hardly. "We actually share some similarities."

That statement was understandable to some degree.

Raiden rolled his eyes at her, dropping the topic before this got unnecessarily out of hand. I kindly beckoned my partner to sit back down with me, and she accepted graciously as she clung onto my arm firmly. I rested my hand on her thigh for comfort on my end.

"So, how long have you guys… been together?" Katsumi asked, trying to have some degree of maturity.

"Almost two years." Miyuki answered simply.

"Wow. Didn't know Rai-Rai can be with someone longer than a week…" I dissed lowly, smirking smugly at him.

"Go f**k yourself, pussycat!" Raiden spat. Miyuki caressed his cheek, trying to calm the male down.

Katsumi held her hands up, surrendering her jokes to the side as I smirked to myself. The girl's witty side was always entertaining to watch.

"So, Katsumi. If you don't mind me asking…" Miyuki spoke politely, earning said girl's attention. "How've you been doing? I heard that your whole family has been killed by your eldest sibling, right?"

Katsumi puffed, taking her seat next to me. "I don't particularly care about that since my family never gave a s**t about me, as you two are already aware. The things Itachi did after was personal because I had a close bond with him; he was my protector and guardian. Now, he can simply go f**k himself in hell because that bastard belongs with our clan…" She seethed lividly, gritting her teeth to hold back any further cursing.

"So heartbreaking…" Miyuki breathed sadly, lowering her gaze. "He was the first person to ever see you in a different light and raised you to become a powerful woman. Yet he went ahead and screwed everything up…"

I scanned the body language and face of the dark haired female across from us. If I was correct, Miyuki was already aware of Katsumi's situation since childhood, so was Raiden by the look of sadness and empathy on his face.

"I don't give a damn, anymore." The ravenette claimed solidly, folding her arms. "My family's dead, I no longer live in the Leaf, lost all of my friends, and my older brother is a d**k. All of that doesn't matter anymore; I've moved on to better things."

I had the feeling that I was one of the "better things" because she slipped her hand on mine, holding it tightly as I squeezed lovingly. The thought that I was something that made her life bearable made me feel lighter within especially since now I knew how she felt about me a part of her life.

"W-Well, I'll take your word for it since you seem okay…" Miyuki commented unsurely, skeptical about the girl's real state of mind. "I'm glad you forgot your horrible past and focus on making your future amazing."

"Let's pray on that." She sarcastically replied, doubting her friend's words of encouragement.

"Speaking of brother, how's Sasuke been doing lately?" Raiden inquired casually, moving on to a different topic.

"How would I know when he's being a complete douche?" The Uchiha girl questioned rhetorically, adding saltiness to her tone.

"The hell did he do this time?" The brunette asked in bore, slumping on the soft seat.

"Simply put, he can't handle the f**kin' truth and pretended that I don't matter to him anymore." She hissed in frustration; I could hear the hurt in her words too. "You'd think he'd mature and deal with honesty from his _sister_ , but no, he'd rather be an ass and pay no attention to reality."

"Damn… what a d**khead…" He muttered bluntly.

"You're only saying that because Sasuke doesn't like you…" Miyuki remarked with a small smile.

"He said that I was a 'bad influence' for Kat when he doesn't even _know_ me!" He snapped exasperatedly. "Besides, he's mainly the reason why she doesn't hang out with us anymore. He literally tried to cut off contact with most of her friends."

"At least that showed that he _sort of_ cared about me." Katsumi pointed out in a frown. "But, he's right about you though: you were kind of a bad influence."

"Hmph." He huffed as he crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Mind if I ask how you two know Katsumi?" I blurted the question out of curiosity.

"We've been friends since we were kids." Miyuki told me graciously. "We all had family issues and we had the tendency to run away from home, far, far away. Our issues were what brought us together as close friends. Since then, we'd run away from our homes just to meet up and hang out."

"I was basically the one who led the gang since I was the oldest—around eleven at the time. We used to act all rebellious and do stuff that our parents would go ballistic if they saw us." Raiden added with a confident grin. "Kitten was the youngest out of all of us, so we considered her as the 'baby' of the group, no pun intended."

"I see…" I mused softly.

That must meant Raiden was around twenty years old.

"On a similar note, how's the others doing?" Katsumi then asked.

"The last time I checked: Akira and Daisuke finally started going out, Goro mended his relationship with his father, the twins—Hotaka and Hisako—lost their mother by an unknown illness, Takara finally met her real parents, Kuro opened an herb shop—"

"What about Yoko? What's her update?" Katsumi interrupted concernedly, feeling as though something was off.

Both the faces of Raiden and Miyuki fell when they heard one of their friend's names that wasn't mentioned by the brunette. This raised both Katsumi's eyebrow and my own. We turned to the dark haired girl who breathed heavily, preparing herself to explain the sudden silence.

"You know how she was dealing with chronic depression like you, right?" She remarked weakly, avoiding any sort of eye contact.

The ravenette nodded in confirmation as I remained still, waiting to hear her say more. I noticed that Raiden was squeezing her shoulder in comfort, encouraging her to tell us.

"Well… she took her own life a few months ago…" She quickly added, hoping that it was enough to get the message through our ears. "She couldn't handle the pain anymore…"

It was and I simply sat where I was with a blank look on my face; I had no relations with "Yoko" whatsoever so I didn't really react to this detail, despite it being such a tragic that she or even anyone resorted to suicide. I knew that this was heartbreaking for Katsumi since she knew the girl and was one of her close friends as kids. She knew what the poor girl was dealing with since she went through depression herself. Difference was that the ravenette overcame her inner demons while Yoko gave up on life and herself. Now that I thought about it, it really was upsetting to hear that someone actually succeeded in taking their own life; I couldn't imagine how it would feel when it was someone I knew and was fond of. Poor Katsumi…

"Yoko is… _dead_ …?" Said female repeated appallingly, tears were welling up in her eyes but refused to fall.

"Katsumi… I'm so sorry…" I soothed lightly, gripping her knee with sympathy.

"I know it sounds f**ked up, especially for you Kat…" Raiden murmured disappointedly. "I know how close you guys were; you were going through similar hardships and battled yourselves inside until you're battered up, bruised."

Katsumi kept her mouth shut as her head hung lifelessly as her dark bangs covered her eyes. We all waited patiently for her reaction and we were caught off guard when she hastily stood up and slipped out of the table.

"I'm getting us drinks." She notified dully. "I'll be back…"

With that, Katsumi treaded away from us, leaving us confused.

"Sorry 'bout her…" I heard Raiden's voice and glanced at him as he had an apologetic look on his face. "Kabuto, right?"

I nodded.

"Look, I'm not sure how long you've been with Kat. But I just wanna give you the heads up…" The brunette explained softly. "Though Kat is one of the coolest people I've met, there are times when she's either an a**whole or a b***h. Regardless of this, she is not a cruel person; she's actually very caring, loving, and generous if you just give her time. Just please be patient with her…"

I blinked at the boy's request, slightly surprised that something that like came out of his mouth since my first impression of him was a jerk-faced player. But now that he was being serious with me, he really wasn't as big of a jackass as I originally thought—at least that was what Katsumi had been implying.

"You probably know what she's been through a lot." Miyuki cut in softly, turning my attention to her. "She and Yoko were close out of all of us; they weren't like sisters but they connected in a unique way. However Yoko keeps everything on the down-low and acts as if she were a ghost whereas Katsumi acts out. They promised each other that they'll be each other's treatment to their sadness and depression…"

My face fell dramatically; I already knew Katsumi and her mental battles with herself but hearing from people who had second-hand experiences with her made even more unbearable to not feel depressed myself.

"We both love Katsumi, and we were concerned that she would end up doing what Yoko did. We haven't seen her in years and we were prepared to hear that she killed hersel." Raiden added. "Now that I know she's in good hands, we have nothing to worry about…"

"Really now…?" I inquired.

"We'll be the first ones to say that she's a lot happier than she was when she was a child. Though it's probably the alcohol doing the talking, she smiles a lot more than she did in the past." Miyuki smiled happily. "And you're most likely the reason why. She always struggled trusting others and letting people into her life because she always gets burned in the end. The fact that you two seem to have a healthy relationship assures us that you're something important and special to her. You may be her road to happiness."

I couldn't help but smile gently at the two who sat across from me, smiling back. Katsumi's life may be a living hell, but one thing was for sure though: she was blessed to have friends like them. They were concerned of her wellbeing and they wanted what was best for her.

"I'm completely aware of the situation I placed myself in our relationship, but every moment was worth it; I know what I'm up against but I couldn't care less. I care about her and accept all of her flaws because those flaws she has what makes her even more beautiful." I told them genuinely, letting my heart do the talking. "It's a tragic that her life is what it is, and I want to be a part of it just to make her see the wonderful sides of it and show her it's worth living. She may be complicated and difficult, but I will _never_ let her go…"

Miyuki smiled in satisfaction. "Well said, Kabuto. I trust that you'll take good care of her…"

"Yeah, watch over our little Kitten for us." Raiden grinned.

"I will." I nodded determinedly. "Thank you for your blessings…"

"If it makes you feel better, I can tell she really has a thing for you." The brunette hinted smugly as he winked. "You know it when you see her at her worst; she acts like she wanna f**kin' murder a hoe. If she's comfortable with you seeing her ugliest sides, you're a keeper."

I could see some truth to what Raiden said. One flaw though, she had always been difficult and complicated for as long as I'd known her. Did that mean she always had a thing for me?

"Thank you?" I was unsure what he said was a compliment or he was trying to be funny.

"Hey guys!" We heard Katsumi's voice from afar and we all turned to see the ravenette pacing towards us quickly.

I looked closer to see that she was carrying something in her arms. That was when I noticed she was holding a tray that carried small glasses. She must be insane, purposing the idea of taking more shots. I knew she was already tipsy from her previous gulps, so I knew this was a bad idea.

Unfortunately, I was the only one who was thinking logically.

"Ah, sweet!" Raiden cheered brightly as the ravenette placed the tray of shots down. "Thanks a ton, Kitten!"

"No prob!" Katsumi beamed happily, plopping down on her seat. "Drink up guys!"

Both Miyuki and Raiden picked up a shot glass and waited for us to pick up ours. The Uchiha girl reached her hand to take hers, until I snatched her wrist instantly, preventing her to reach any further. She turned to me and threw me an annoyed, confused look to which I responded with a dull look.

"What the f**k, Kabuto?" She grunted, trying to remove herself from my grip but couldn't be helped.

"I really don't think it's a good idea…" I told her truthfully, showing a glint of concern in my eyes.

"Why not?" She asked innocently but still kept her firm look.

"You've already had your fix, Katsumi." I answered concernedly, tightening my grip on her fist. "I'm worried you'll push your boundaries…"

Surprisingly, Katsumi wasn't defensive nor annoyed at me reason. She instead slipped out of my grip and placed her hand on my cheek. My eyes widened slightly as her lips were graced with a smile.

"Your concern for me is so cute, I wanna kiss those soft lips of yours…" She mused softly as she used the hand on my cheek to caress it.

I blinked blankly at her, trying to process her words in my head.

"I know what I'm doing; I've taken shots before and I know my limits…" She assured me genuinely. "So don't worry about me, my love…"

I almost choked on myself when I heard her say "my love" to me. My heart skipped a beat because never in my wildest dreams would Katsumi Uchiha would say "love" to me and barely anyone for that matter. I knew she was a bit off after a drink or two, but despite this, hearing her say that to me with admiration made me feel overwhelmed and anxious. I could feel my head beating along to my heartbeat, making me slight lightheaded. To top it all off, she gave me a quick but firm kiss to make me so lost, I would simply allow her to drink as much as she wanted. She hastily pulled me away as she threw me a sweet smile to which I was instantly drawn into. I subconsciously placed a small smile on my face and nodded in approval to drink with freedom. She immediately picked up her shot glass as I did the same.

"Here's to Kat for not slitting her wrists!" Raiden announced playfully, grinning humorously as he lifted his shot glass.

I watched said female throwing a fake smile at the brunette. She then cleared her throat as everyone waited.

"And here's to Rai-Rai still being a big d**k when he's actually short at the same time!" She countered mockingly, earning gaped looks from all of us and those who overheard her.

Especially Raiden, who was gawked at what the ravenette said about him. Instead of using his words, he let his middle finger to express his feelings about that insult. Katsumi didn't bat an eye on the rude gesture as she stuck out her tongue at him. After a moment of glaring at one another, they sat back down and we all wasted no time in chugging the burning liquid all at once. We slammed our cups in unison with our faces scrunched up. The previous drinks didn't helped at all as my sense of judgement started to crack.

"Let's go for another!" I heard the Raiden prompted daringly.

Without hesitation, we all took another shot. And another. And another. And _another_. We kept on chugging one shot after another until they were no shots in sight; just empty mini glasses scattered all around the table. I started to feel a bit woozy and unstable; the alcohol was kicking in a lot faster than I hoped. Even though I was using my medical skills to neutralize the high concentration of alcohol in my system, I wasn't able to keep it in remission for very long. I side-glanced at Katsumi who seemed to be in a similar situation because she was just as drunk as I was. If not, _more_. Her cheeks were brilliant red, her eyes were glossy and blank, and her movements were heavy for her but seemed to be just as graceful. It was no surprised to me if I realized my cheeks were just as red and my movements were just as sloppy.

"Damn…" I heard the brunette grunted lowly, swaying left and right. "Is the world spinning or am I just f**kin' lost?"

Both Miyuki's and Raiden's cheeks were red by the shots taken, but were a slighter shade than mine and Katsumi's.

"Round two?" The boy offered challengingly, smirking cockily at himself.

"Bring it on!" Katsumi nodded in acceptance.

"How about we call it a night?" I cut in simply, earning disappointed looks from the two.

"Aw, why?" The ravenette whined, pouting cutely at me.

I sighed heavily at the image in front of me because I knew if I gazed at her precious face, I would've cave immediately with my current state of mind.

"Yeah, the party is just getting started!" Raiden chimed in, annoyed that I ruined the fun.

"Though having another round is tempting, Katsumi and I should head back to our inn." I told them simply. I then turned my eyes over to said female. "You see, we have to wake up very early tomorrow morning…"

"We do?" Katsumi questioned curiously as her eyes sparkled.

I smiled sweetly at her and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Yes we do, love. Something special, you can say…" I whispered softly.

"Like a surprise!?" She chirped excitedly.

I nodded slowly to which she squealed.

"I can't wait!" She cheered brightly then she grabbed my hand. "Let's go now!"

Katsumi used her incredible strength to pull me out of me seat, heading towards the exit.

"Wait up, Kat!" Raiden called out as he pulled Miyuki out of her seat too.

It wasn't until we were outside of the club when I rooted my feet on the ground, preventing the ravenette from pulling me any further.

"Slow down, love!" I laughed pleadingly, wanting her to stop being hyper.

"But I want my surprise now!" She whined as she gave me her cute, pleading eyes.

A smile stretched my lips as I hastily wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her in for a hug from behind. Katsumi let out a laugh since she was apparently ticklish when she was drunk. We turned around to see Raiden and Miyuki behind us, smiling in entertainment.

"Didn't I tell ya, Miyuki?" The brunette chuckled, slinging his arm over her shoulder.

Miyuki nodded. "You're right! They're really perfect for each other! Such cuties they are!" She complimented sweetly.

I blushed lightly as I scratched the back of my head nervously. I then felt a pair of arms wrapped firmly around my neck. I turned my attention to it only to see Katsumi smiling up at me while she positioned my face close to hers which made me blush even more.

"Let's go already, Kabuto!" She complained eagerly.

"Okay, okay." I sighed tiredly with a smile.

Suddenly I felt an unknown weight on my back, causing me to lose my balance. Luckily I was able to stay on my feet, wondering what was clinging on my back. It wasn't until then I noticed arms around my neck, realizing immediately who it was. I glanced over my shoulder to see the ravenette holding herself up on my back with her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I sighed deeply to myself; she was literally acting as if she were a child.

"I assume you want a piggyback ride?" I guessed dully.

Katsumi nodded. "Until we make it back to our hotel!" She proclaimed proudly.

I sighed again but I begrudgingly agreed to carry her all the way back.

"Looks like your hands are full, my friend." I heard the brunette commented matter-of-factly with a confident grin. "So we'll leave it to you to take care of things from here."

Without warning, Katsumi hopped out of my back and ran towards her friends. She jumped into Raiden's arms, clinging onto him like a monkey clinging onto the trunk of a tree. He happily welcomed this gesture by hugging her back tightly.

"Bye Rai-Rai! I'm gonna miss you so much!" She chirped. "You better miss me, you jerk!"

Said male laughed at her words. "Of course I'm gonna miss you, Kitten! No doubt about it!" He reassured genuinely, continuing to hug her.

Katsumi then removed herself from Raiden and turned her attention towards Miyuki. She gave her a firm, friendly hug as the indigo haired female did the same.

"I hope to see you again, Katsumi!" She wished sweetly. "It was unbearable not seeing you for years!"

"Of course you will!" The ravenette promised beamingly.

I too respectfully gave my parting words to the couple to which they responded awfully friendly to me. I had gotten their approval, no doubt about it. Without warning a familiar weight dropped on my back once again. I figured it was Katsumi so I didn't bother looking behind as I started moving slowly towards our desired destination while the ravenette waved and chirped farewell to her friends as they did the same too. Once she was no longer able to be see their figures from afar, she fastened herself up on my back as she smiled joyfully at my head. On one hand, her acting happy and cheery was tiring but on the other hand, she was so cute. There were times where I forgot she was still a child in my eyes.

Though I walked at a slower pace than I was used to, we made it to our inn in less time than I estimated. I attempted to remove Katsumi off of my back, but she tightened her grip on me in refusal.

"Take me up to our room!" She demanded stubbornly, pouting over my shoulder.

I huffed tiredly, but eventually agreed. Ignoring all stares and looks from strangers around us, I treaded my tired feet all the way to our assigned room. I locked the door behind me and with the Uchiha girl on my back, I moved myself into the master bedroom. Once I shut the door behind me once again, I turned my head to look over at the girl clinging onto me as I gave her a soft but stern look.

"We're in the room now." I remarked flatly, then half-smiled. "May I please put you down now?"

Katsumi nodded. "Okay, my bad." She said cheerily as she granted my wish and released her grip on me.

Now that the weight was lifted off of my shoulders, I used this advantage to quickly stretch out my arms and back, releasing any knots and any sore spots. It wasn't that the ravenette was heavy; it was just that in the state I was in and how roughly the girl jumped on me, it wasn't something my body was used to just yet.

"So…" I heard said female trailing off purposely to gain my attention. I glanced at her as I raised an eyebrow, wondering what she wanted now. "Where's that surprise you promised earlier?"

Damn it, I'd thought she would forget that because I figured she was too drunk to remember such a detail. Alas I was wrong because it didn't entirely hit me that she was capable in breaking down the concentration of the alcohol consumed. However, it seemed she allowed this chemical to seep throughout her body to numb any sort of pain or thought. This resorted her to act hyper, energetic and peppy. Apparently it didn't affect her memory nor intelligence in the slightest.

Not to mention she was an Uchiha. I doubted they would act remotely unbalanced if they were hammered.

"You will get your surprise…" I slowly answered as I watched her eyebrows expectedly. "Tomorrow."

"What? _Tomorrow_?!" She whined disappointedly. "I want it now! You promised, Kabuto!"

I smiled sadly as I pulled the girl into my arms. She gazed up at me unhappily which made my eyes turn glossy from the sparkle she gave off of her shiny, onyx eyes. I returned the gaze apologetically, knowing how much she wanted this surprise I hinted and telling her she had to wait made me feel guilty. The last thing I wanted was to upset Katsumi in anyway because her happiness was very important to me.

"I know I did, Katsumi. I'm sorry…" I smiled sweetly, coating my words with every bit of guilt I carried. "But I promise you'll get your surprise early tomorrow morning…"

The ravenette said nothing or did anything. She eyed me in frustration with red cheeks as her lips pursed adorably. Out of temptation, I leaned in and kissed her sweetly on her lustrous lips. I used my grip around her to hold her against my body as I continued to shower her with kisses. It wasn't even a moment later when she gave into them as she let out a giggle in between kisses. I pulled away to let the girl catch her breath. Katsumi no longer looked upset at all; she was smiling brightly at me to which I smiled back. Our comfortable stare was interrupted by a yawn, courtesy of the Uchiha girl.

"Tired?" I implied with a smirk.

Katsumi nodded slowly as she covered another yawn with her hand.

"I wanna sleep." She informed in a mutter as she stretched.

I nodded, also feeling tired myself.

"Can I wear that shirt to sleep in, please?" She suddenly asked cutely as her hand entwined each other pleadingly.

I rolled my eyes with a smile at her off-pudding question. But I willingly stripped off my shirt, leaving myself topless. After interpreting it as a yes, what Katsumi did next almost felt like I had been slapped in the face. She literally grabbed the hem of her hoodie dress and lifted it over her head. As the ravenette's eyes were occupied and covered by her top, my eyes were glued firmly at the mesmerizing sight of her bare, flawless figure in front of me. I was already aware that she had a perfect form based on touch; I never took that fact in through my eyes. I could see it all: her firm, flat stomach, her light, lustrous skin… my mouth started to water as I listed these beautiful factors of the girl. The only thing covering her feminine torso was a black mesh bra covering her perky, perfectly-round breasts; the cherry on top of a delicious sundae.

Once the Uchiha girl fully removed her shirt, it was already too late for me; she knew I was drooling over her and my hot red cheeks didn't help to cover up the situation one bit. But I couldn't help myself because Katsumi never allowed herself to strip in front of me… at least when she was sober. Normally she would turn herself around and let me get a view of her backside of her body, never her front side. In fact, it was rare seeing her topless or anything along the lines. However I had never seen her fully naked before and vice versa because as sad as it sounded, we weren't at that stage of our relationship. We both agreed to take things slow because this was her first serious relationship and this was my first relationship with anyone, period.

As much as I respected our terms, there were definitely times where it was very difficult to keep that in mind constantly, especially when an opportunity presented itself like this. There were times where I just wanted to jump on top of the girl, remove everything that covered her, and show just how much love I could give her. There were times where I wanted to feel everything she offered if she could just understand my intentions. There were times where I wanted to prove to her that I was committed to her. It was assuring that she started opening up to me bit by bit per day, but I still hadn't earned her full trust yet. I was still getting there; I was so close yet so far from reaching my goal.

"Kabuto?" Said female called me curiously with an uncomfortable smile then held out her hand. "The shirt?"

I blinked at her words, then mentally face-palmed for being an idiot. I graciously gave her my shirt. Katsumi easily slipped through the shirt as I made sure my hormones weren't acting hyperactive by the gorgeous sight. This was why I tried to stay away from alcohol because it caused me to think the ambitious events that I wished could happen out of luck. I watched the ravenette as she removed her hair from its ponytail, letting it flow freely onto her back. She massaged her scalp to release the stress the hair put on her head as she slid over to the bed. She kicked off her shoes and slipped into the thick comforters, sighing happily. I stopped my train of thoughts and mimicked the girl until I placed myself into the soft sheets. Once I laid comfortably in bed and carefully removed the contact lenses, the raven haired girl moved herself closer to me until her body was snuggled against mine. I welcomed this gesture by embracing the girl in my arms as I lightly wrapped my legs around hers. I rubbed her upper arm soothingly, wanting her to get her rest as fast as possible. As I did so, I felt her breathing getting slower and slower until there were only short, soft breaths. Regardless, I knew she wasn't asleep just yet, especially after words started coming out of her mouth.

"Today was awesome, Kabuto." She commented genuinely with a tired tone. "I've never had this much fun with anyone for a long time."

By her words and change of attitude, it didn't look as if the alcohol finally passed through; she was still quite tipsy and maybe even drunk.

"Really now?" I questioned doubtfully.

Katsumi nodded. "No one has ever went out of their way like you did to give me a whole day to myself." She admitted softly, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Is there a point you're trying to tell me?" I asked her in confusion, understanding her feelings but the main point of it all.

She shrugged. "I guess I'm trying to say thank you… for everything…" She breathed shyly as she started to blush.

A smile stretched my lips blissfully, placing a kiss on her head.

"You know I'd do anything for you…" I remarked gently, nuzzling her head.

"True. But not everything all at once…" She pointed out.

That was true. People like me were very rare since us as humans believed giving too much was unnecessary. Her making that point was hard to get around because yes, partners were always there for each other but they wouldn't always stand by their words a hundred percent of the time. How could I counter something like this?

"Don't feel as though you have to repay me anything, Katsumi…" I spoke deeply, letting my heart do the talking. "I'm committed to this relationship and I'm committed to you. I really want to make this work because my feelings are too strong to let you go."

Katsumi giggled at my mini speech. "Well, don't worry… I'm not going anywhere…" She reassured calmly, sounding as if she was on the verge of slumber.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen." I smirked lowly, resting my eyes.

Though my eyes were shut, I was wide awake as I thought deeply to myself. I was cut off by sounds of soft breathing and I opened my eyes only to realize that Katsumi fell asleep. I adjusted my position so that I made myself comfortable while not waking the girl up. As I slowly but surely drifted off to sleep, my eyes remained glued to the ravenette who slept peacefully in my arms.

' _Just you wait. I'll prove to you just how faithful I am to you…'_ I thought to myself wishfully, feeling myself getting sleepier by the second. _'That way, I'll earn your trust and we could start anew…'_

* * *

 **Well, hello again! I'll make this brief: I'm currently enrolling in post-secondary and I didn't take into consideration of how much time I have to dedicate it to just pure work, assignments, tests… basically hell written on paper. So yes, for school reasons, I haven't been able to produce and upload chapters to my fanfic.**

 **If you're a long-time follower of mine, you may be aware that the last time this happened, I discontinued my fanfic because of lack of time and effort I put into my old stories. Since then, I've regretted making that decision because I was concerned about them not being good enough. But after thinking about it for a bit, I realize the only thing that mattered to me was story telling. And whether it's good or bad, as long as I'm telling my story to an audience, that's more than enough for me.**

 **So don't worry if my absence made you—my lovely readers—nervous, I will NEVER take down this story, no matter how long I'll be gone for.**

 **Because that's my nindo, my ninja WAY!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23! Wow I'm proud of myself.**

 **Though I don't own Naruto, I'm waiting for Katsumi to be an actual character in the anime. I'll make MILLIONS!**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: One's True Intentions for Another**

 **Katsumi's POV:**

My brain awoke by the sound of water falling on a surface; it sounded like heavy rain crashing on the earth's surface. It took my tired self a while to realize that it wasn't rain falling; the shower was on and someone was currently using it. Though I was awake, my eyes refused to open themselves and I respected their decision to remain glued. I tried my hardest to fall back asleep, but despite attempts I had made, they were no use. I groaned in frustration, covering myself with the thick comforter up to my chin to push my mind into thinking it needed more sleep. The moment I felt myself drifting off once again, the damn bathroom door decided it was the right time to open itself up and shine its bright light exactly where I laid. I growled groggily to myself, cursing whoever stood behind for waking me up in the first place.

"Are you awake, Katsumi?" The person asked amusingly, already knowing the answer and aware of my possible reaction.

"Katsumi?" He called again in entertainment.

"What the f**k do you think!?" I snapped irritably, snapping my death glare at him.

Kabuto stood there, unfazed by my outburst as he instead placed his signature smirk.

"Looks like you've sobered up from last night…" He mused smugly, placing a hand on his hip.

I took a good look at the medic-nin who I was still glared at for waking me up. He wore black pants that reached down to his ankles and an indigo, fitted, sleeveless shirt. There was a white towel wrapped around his neck and over his shoulders, catching the droplets from his soaking hair. I assumed he had just woken up and took a quick shower, so I wasn't certain if he had his contact lenses on or he still hadn't put them on when he woke up. Not that I even cared to begin with since I was one snap away from tackling Kabuto.

"Damn it, Kabuto! You decide when I'm sleeping to be so annoying!" I grumbled stressfully, chucking one of the pillows at him.

Kabuto easily caught it with an amused look on his face as I glared sharply at him.

"I was simply taking a shower; my intentions were never to wake you up." He explained calmly with a cocky grin. "Besides, I already warned you that we have to wake up really early."

"What time is it?" I casually asked, still carrying my frustration within me.

"4:45 am." He answered.

"What the he—why _this_ early!?" I snapped, not comprehending as I threw the covers over my head, lying down again. "F**k this, I'm going back to sleep."

I heard Kabuto sigh tiredly as footsteps echoed inside the bedroom, moving towards me. I knew the grey haired male was towering over me by the shadow I saw on the covers I hid under yet I still refused to grant his wish. At least not right now because it was way too early for me.

"Will you stop being so childish and get out of bed already?" He huffed in annoyance. "You were excited about the surprise last night…"

I rapidly tossed the blankets away from my upper body as I hastily sat up to stare hardly at him. Kabuto smirked at this sudden movement of mine.

"That was when I was tipsy as hell and happy about everything I hear…" I mentioned defensively.

The look the medic-nin gave me showed me that he agreed to this claim which stretched his smirk even further.

"Not to mention hyper." Kabuto added slyly. "You acted all cute and affectionate towards me, which is unlike you especially in public."

"Thanks, jerk. I already know my drunk self is my better, nicer, friendlier side." I sarcastically commented, sounding slightly hurt. "That's why I drank… to be someone that I'm not… someone other than myself…"

I lowered my head after saying those words, wanting to avoid eye contact with him. I felt a hand grabbing my cheek and forcibly lifting my head up. Once I was facing upward, a familiar pair of lips kissed my own softly while my cheek burned by the love I was getting from the kiss. I started to feel breathless when the medic-nin bit my lower lip softly, causing my heart to palpitate anxiously.

It wasn't until a moment later when Kabuto pulled away to look at me kindly as our faces were positioned barely an inch away from each other.

"Your unconscious self isn't always your better self…" He murmured lightly as his lips brushed against mine when he spoke. "I'm actually a bigger fan of you just the way you are. A stubborn little brat…"

I raised my eyebrows on that covered insult. "What's that supposed to mean?" I interrogated.

The medic-nin let out a low chuckle then placed another kiss before pulling away. I watched him as he walked over to a small desk located at the corner of the room and returning with a plate that carried something. He made himself comfortable on the king-sized bed in front of me. With a smile, he handed the plate to me and I took it off his hands without hesitation. I scanned the components on the plate, realizing that it was breakfast.

"All for me?" I presumed curiously, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"All for you." Kabuto nodded.

"What about you?" I asked concernedly.

"I've already eaten before I took a shower." He assured simply, drying his damp hair.

With that thought, I went ahead and dug in. A moment passed and I was still sitting on the bed, enjoying my breakfast quietly until I noticed something a bit off: Kabuto was still sitting there, staring deeply at me. But that wasn't really what was off. It was specifically the way he was looking at me. The look he was giving me was the same look Itachi gave me when I was a child; a look that showed concern and fear for my safety from myself. I expressed my confusion on my face, urging him to tell me the matter. But the medic-nin didn't budge at all; he continued to stare at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked him intriguingly.

I waited patiently for Kabuto to answer my question as he hesitated to open his mouth and let the words out.

"Last night…" He eventually breathed lowly. "Your friends…"

"What about them?" I inquired suspiciously.

Though I was very tipsy and maybe even drunk, I was aware enough to remember reuniting with Rai-Rai and Miyuki and most of the stuff they said in their update. But I wasn't sure why this was remotely concerning to Kabuto to begin with.

"They mentioned something tragic about an old friend…" He briefed quickly, feeling hurt about this detail himself.

It didn't matter how vague or unclear he was. It was obvious that Kabuto was talking about Yoko and her self-inflicted death. My face fell as I allowed the feeling to sink in. I resisted the urge to hide under the covers and sulk in the dark alone, but I knew I shouldn't do that because that would only worry the grey haired male even more. Me feeling depressed about something made him feel unsteady.

"Don't bother reminding me…" I told him in a dead tone. "I was somewhat sober enough to remember significant details…"

"I'm sorry about your friend." He apologized meekly. "You must be hurting after hearing all of that… when you've never seen Yoko for so long…"

I weakly shrugged my shoulders at his words.

"There's nothing I can do about it." I simply stated, looking down at my plate sitting on my lap.

"Do you feel the least upset?" He asked concernedly.

"Of course I'm upset. I think anyone in my position would feel heartbroken after hearing news like this." I answered matter-of-factly. "What's bugging me is the fact that she resorted to suicide…"

"What is your exact relation with Yoko?" He questioned curiously, adjusting his position on the bed.

"Yoko was the quietest one in our clique of friends, which also included Raiden and Miyuki. She barely talks to any of us and she keeps everything to herself; she was kind of disturbed and mentally unstable from within." I explained flatly. "I was the only person she was mostly comfortable with because she too had similar family problems, especially with her dad."

"Were you ever aware she was suicidal?"

"Not really, no. I just assumed she was very anxious and depressed most of the time since she's introverted." I answered blankly. "I was too when I was younger, but I was more outgoing and expressive than she was. We somehow balanced each other out and that was how we basically became good friends."

"When was the last time you've spoken to her?"

"The last time I saw the gang was around the time my clan was killed." I theorized thoughtfully, not recalling all of the specifics. "Yoko was upset because she wouldn't have me around anymore. I swore to her that I'd see her the next time we met."

For a moment, the grey haired medic remained dead silent for no obvious reason. This raised my curiosity because with his head hanging and the gloomy look on his face, something was on his mind and he couldn't shake it off.

"Did you ever…" He murmured lightly. "Consider this decision too…?"

I wasn't exactly sure what Kabuto meant right away because his question was too vague. I went with my instincts and answered what I believed he wanted to know.

"Yes, a couple of times to be exact." I answered softly, looking aside. "There were times where I wanted to disappear; I didn't want to be seen by anyone and I didn't want to look at myself. As a child, you have no clue what you're feeling and you don't know what to do because you're so young and helpless."

"I understand completely." He assured. "But the fact that you had considered—"

"I told you this before, Kabuto." I cut him off hardly, placing the plate aside. "I've moved on from everything that's happened to me in the past; I'm okay now so you shouldn't be worried about me one bit."

In spite of me telling him that I was alright, it still didn't shake off the concern and fear he carried for me. I had to smile sadly to that because I never had someone so worried for me to the point where it made them just as depressed as I was. The last thing I wanted was to rub the negative feelings on him because in more ways than one, he was my escape. I reached over to his hand that rested on the bed and instantly, our fingers interweaved one another firmly.

"Besides, I have you now… and I wouldn't pull a stunt like that just to prove my selfish, narcissistic pain." I added sweetly, smiling confidently. "I would never erase myself from reality when you're a part of it…"

Smiling lovingly at my kind words, the grey haired male placed a sweet, long kiss on my hand he held with his own. With that, I shuffled out of the bed and entered the bathroom with the door shut behind me, signalling him that I was going to use it for some time. I turned on the shower and I stood there thinking deeply to myself as I waited for the water to reach the temperature I preferred most. Once the temperature had been approved, I stripped my clothes off and stepped into the light fall of water. I inhaled the warm steam the water gave off as the warm water droplets relaxed my tightened muscles. I then went ahead and shampooed and conditioned my hair and scrubbed the dirt and oil from my skin until I was nothing but freshly cleaned. I hopped out of and turned the shower off once I was done. A bathrobe immediately caught my eye and without hesitation, I put the fluffy white material to dry my body while keeping me warm. I used one of the folded towels offered to me on the counter near the sink and used the biggest one to wrap my damp hair. I walked out of the bathroom and the sight of Kabuto resting against the backboard of the bed with a book in hand grabbed my attention; he looked as if he was trying to keep his mind off of the previous conversation we had before I escaped to the bathroom. He now wore a fitted V-neck shirt with bagging track paints. If I was correct, he was currently wearing his contact lenses considered the way his pupils move along the sentences on the book without difficulty. With a deep sigh, I walked over to my bag and took out fresh new clothes for the day along with a hair brush and leave-in conditioner.

With the bathrobe on and Kabuto occupied, I slickly changed into my outfit of choice without the medic-nin batting an eye. I looked at my reflection in the long mirror standing vertically on the wall. I could see my duplicate wearing the exact same clothes as I was; a fitted black tank top with a blueish purple sweater over it zipped halfway to show the black tank along with black matching shorts and sandals, topping it all off with black thigh high stockings. I turned to the leave-in conditioner and applied it to my still damp hair. Then I reached for my hair brush and carefully but surely brushed my hair, removing any sort of tangles the bristles come in contact with. Once I was done, I brushed my hair towards my right side until it was positioned into somewhat of a side hairstyle as most of it laid over my right shoulder. I was satisfied with this result and turned on my heel to face Kabuto, waiting for him to notice I was done. A moment past when he finally caught a glimpse of me and smirked approvingly.

"You look good." He simply complimented. "Are you ready to go now?"

I nodded at him and placed my bag on my back. Kabuto closed his book and placed it in his bag as he did the same. Once we made sure we hadn't forgotten anything, he closed the door and led me towards the main floor with his arm around my waist. After we checked out of the inn, we exited the building and I allowed the medic-nin to guide me to wherever he wanted to take me. As he did so, I scanned my surroundings, noticing that almost all of the apartments' lights were still off due to the owners still in bed. Lucky them. I couldn't blame them because for crying out loud, it was still pretty dark out. Technically the sky wasn't pitch black since it was close to sunrise so the sky was a bit lighter like a navy blue. Regardless, it was still too damn early for anyone to wake up, including myself. Minutes of walking passed and I realized instantly we were no longer in the small town; we were in some sort of forest. It wasn't too dense since I could see a path ahead of us however I still had no clue where Kabuto was taking me. I grew more nervous because I could no longer sense anyone even near the area, meaning anything good or bad could happen and no one would notice a thing. I prayed the latter doesn't happen because it was too early for that and I was still tired from last night. I was having trouble stepping on top of a rock that was oddly shaped and positioned. Being the gentleman he was, Kabuto lent me a hand and used his strength to help me up. After thanking him for his kind gesture, he parted his lips hesitantly.

"From this point on, you have to cover your eyes." He told me dryly.

"Why?" I questioned stubbornly, furrowing my eyebrows.

When I noted that Kabuto refused to answer my question or was done telling me, "it's a surprise", I rolled my eyes in defeat.

"You know what, do as you please." I huffed in annoyance. "Just take good care of me."

"Of course, I'll take good care of you. I always do…" He smirked cockily as he pulled out a cloth to cover my eyes.

Kabuto handed the cloth to me and I wrapped it over my eyes then tied it behind my head. Once my arms were dropped, I felt the grey haired male moving behind me and held onto both of my shoulders. I reacted to his my lifting my own right hand and clawing it to his right hand that was on my shoulder. Seeing that I was ready, he carefully moved me through the path in the dark forest. It felt like hours when really it had been a few moments since the pace was slow due to me wanting not to fall on my face in the dirt. Using his grip on me, my partner stopped me from moving any further.

"We're here." He announced happily, starting to untie the cloth that covered my eyes.

Once my eyes were freed from that bounding, I blinked a couple of times for my eye to adjust the light around me that I wasn't exposed to due to my eyes being covered. The view in front of me almost took my breath away. As Kabuto stood behind me, I was standing close to the edge of a cliff where it stood over an ocean that stretched endlessly to a far distance. There were light waves hitting gently against the patch of rocks sitting below as the peaceful sounds of it echoed to my ears. The smell of fresh water and the light breeze brushing us was soothing and meditating.

"What do you think?" I heard Kabuto ask proudly. "Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is."

The view was literally amazing. Though it wasn't worth waking up before the sun, I was still in awe.

"But why am I here in the first place?" I questioned, sounding both suspicious and curious.

I didn't get an immediate answer. Instead I got a pair of strong arms snaking around my waist, pulling me towards a familiar figure. I rested my hands on the man's forearms as he rested his cheek on the side of my head. There were brief moments where he would cover my cheek with soft kisses as I caressed one of his forearms around my waist. We watched the sky get lighter and lighter due to the sun slowly climbing up to reach its ultimate height.

"There was once a story about a young, beautiful couple. A quiet, poor, smart boy who lived as an orphan and a beautiful, intelligent, and generous girl who came from a wealthy family." Kabuto spoke softly as he kept his eyes on the sky. "They would've never thought they would cross paths but they did. And when that happened, they fell madly in love with each other."

Though I was intrigued with this story Kabuto was telling me, I was having trouble determining if whether or not this was an answer to my question I asked a moment ago.

"The girl's family learned about their relationship with the boy and immediately disapproved; they wanted her to marry a wealthy man who will actually take good care of her. They did whatever they could to convince them, but nothing could change their mind." He continued depressingly, sounding a bit empathetic. "Eventually they cut ties with each other…"

"That's f**ked up." I commented lowly, placing my head on his shoulder.

"The boy realized he couldn't stand not being with his love, so in secret, he took her to a secluded area that towered over a huge patch of water where they stood there, holding each other as they watched the waves pass by endlessly." He proceeded as he tightened his grip around my waist. "He told her how much he loved her and how much he wanted to be with her for as long as the waves continue to travel along the water surface. Long story short, they went ahead and found a place for themselves, married, and had beautiful children together."

"I'm happy for them." I responded genuinely. "Everyone deserves to be with someone they love."

"I second that." He commented deeply.

"But why tell me this? And why bring me here?" I questioned determinedly.

When Kabuto didn't answer right away, I side-glanced to see his lips parted but his words refusing to come out. It seemed to me that he wasn't sure what words to use.

"I want our relationship to last as long as those waves, Katsumi. I want to have a life with you…" He confessed purely with a hint of hope in his voice. "And like the boy, I would do anything to get that… even if your brother or Lord Orochimaru don't approve…"

"But that could get you _killed_! Are you that mad, four eyes!?" I cut in sharply out of concern.

With his grip on me, said male turned my position so that I was now facing him completely. Kabuto's soft dark eye gazed into mine as I saw sheer love and determination.

"Some things are worth dying for." He smiled sweetly, seeing a spark that came from his eye.

I gulped down a sob that was ready to escape from my lips, trying to put a strong face on. I knew Kabuto would sacrifice a lot of things for me and he had proven it, but die for me? Was he being honest when he said that?

"Kabuto…" It was literally the only thing I could say because I was breathless with the view and his words.

I felt Kabuto's lips pressed against my forehead then I went ahead to hug him. He immediately accepted and embraced me protectively. We stayed like this until he nudged his head against mine, gaining my attention. I glanced up at him curiously and saw him smiling kindly at me.

"Look." He simply instructed, beckoning his head towards the sky behind me.

I followed his gaze and was in awe to see the sun slowly peeking up from its water blanket from a distance far away yet close enough to see every detail of it. My eye stretched wider and wider as the sun slowly crept up the sky, shining a light and erasing most of the darkness the moon caused. I rotated my body to see the beautiful sight fully as I was still in Kabuto's grasp. I enjoyed the view of it all until I felt the medic-nin releasing me and stepping a few feet away from me. Though it was sort of odd, I kept my attention on the sunrise as I enjoyed the welcoming breeze hitting my face.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" He suddenly asked me. "From yesterday until now?"

I nodded happily. "Yes, I did. It's been a long time since I enjoyed myself this much. And it's all because of you, Kabuto." I mused gratefully, smiling blissfully to myself.

Said medic scoffed proudly at himself to which I rolled my eyes.

"You know, I've been thinking…" I thought aloud. "You said the point to all this is to relieve my stress and whatnot. But I just can't shake the feeling that there's more to what you're telling me because the things you did hinted that there's a deeper meaning to it all…"

"Well…" He responded lowly. "I guess you can say that…"

It was then I decided to look over my shoulder briefly eyed him, instantly doing a double take by the sight my eyes were caught on. Kabuto was holding something small in his hands as he had a small smile on his face. Out of curiosity, I slid over to him only to realize that it was a small cake with a single lit candle stuck near the edge of the tiny dessert. I was slightly confused by the unexpected scenario since I wasn't sure what the occasion was. Hell, I wasn't exactly sure if that cake was for me.

"For me?" I guessed, pointing my index finger at myself.

Kabuto nodded slowly as his cheeks slightly turned red. I couldn't help but smile in gratitude at him for everything he had done for me. Not only since yesterday, but since our relationship started; he was nothing but selfless to me.

"Thank you… so much…" It was the only thing that I could say because there was no words that could show my gratitude for the male.

The grey haired boy's smile stretched wider, very satisfied with my reaction. I then moved myself closer to him and placed a look on my face that showed a bit of guilt I carried deep within me.

"But why all this?" I asked in guilt, begging him to give me a reasonable explanation to his actions lately.

Out of the blue, Kabuto replaced the kind smile on his face with a confident smirk as he eyed me humorously.

"What?" I inquired suspiciously.

"Read what's on the cake…" He simply instructed, moving the cake closer to my eyes to give me a better look at it.

I did what I was told and scanned the cake. A few second past when I finally discovered something peculiar on the surface of the icing. It was then I did another double take; I was in disbelief by it. Not only what was written on the cake, but all the kind gestures Kabuto had done for me up until now. I was so astonished by it, I covered my mouth with one hand to hide the embarrassing look I gave the male. He didn't seem to mind; it actually made him even more happy and proud of himself.

"Happy Birthday, Katsumi." He announced sweetly with a kind smile.

I blinked away the tears of joy that were urging to come out as my hand still covered my mouth. It was really hard to keep a somewhat of a straight face when the realization of it all kicked in really hard.

"S-So yesterday…" I paused because I was unable to speak without stuttering uncontrollably.

Kabuto nodded. "Yep. Yesterday was your birthday and you were feeling so down, it pained me to see you dark and gloomy on your special day. So I figured that I should take the whole day off so we can enjoy ourselves and celebrate…" He briefed kindly.

Hearing this gave my tears the motivation to fall down my cheeks. And they just wouldn't stop; the tears filled with nothing but gratitude kept on falling. This concerned Kabuto and he quickly placed the cake on the ground and grabbed my shoulders worriedly as he watched the streams on my face dripped off of my chin.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I tried blinking away the tears but all it did was blur my vision. I resorted to wiping them away with my hand as I sniffed softly.

"Sorry." I scoffed sadly, a bit embarrassed of myself. "It's just that… no one has ever done something this thoughtful for me ever. Just the feeling of it all and your thoughtfulness is really overwhelming…"

"Literally no one…?" He repeated incredulously. "Not even Sasuke…?"

Hearing my brother's name caused me to unintentionally let out a sob, letting my eyes pump out more tears. "He's too stubborn to care…" I muttered weakly.

"Still…"

I dismissed my logical senses and swiftly embraced him around his waist, letting out muted sobs as my shoulders microscopically shook. Kabuto immediately wrapped his arms around me for comfort, squeezing me protectively.

"You're the only person I have left, right now…" I admitted softly. "Despite how difficult I am and the amount of flaws I have, you still stayed by my side and I can't thank you enough…"

I felt Kabuto nuzzling the side of my head as he held me in his strong arms.

"I don't… want to be alone ever again…" I added desperately, refusing to let go of the boy.

"And you'll never _be_ alone anymore…" He assured determinedly. "You'll always have me, no matter what…"

"Right back atcha'." I joked playfully as I pulled away a bit to wipe away the remaining tears on my cheeks and eyes.

Once I finally recovered, Kabuto and I sat on the edge of the cliff as our legs dangled freely off of it. After making a wish and a huff to put out the small candle, we evenly split the small cake in half. We both chewed devouringly on the sweet meal as we watched the sun rise higher and higher.

"How did you know that cheesecake is my favourite, anyway?" I asked curiously, impressed of how well he knew me.

"After living with you for a while, you learn quite a lot…" He simple stated, biting a piece from his half.

"Damn." I grunted distastefully. "I didn't know I was easy to read…"

"No, you weren't." He disagreed as he chewed. "In fact, it takes a lot of analysing to understand you and your emotions. There are times where I'm unsure and go with my gut instincts…"

"I know. I wish I wasn't so distant and stoic like my brothers…" I commented apologetically. "I don't want people having a perception of me being cold and emotionless like them; that's not who I am despite me being an Uchiha…"

"There's nothing wrong with that; you're just a guarded person and your only intentions are to protect yourself from getting hurt. I respect that…" He explained softly, giving me a genuine look that reflected his words. "On a similar note, it's not a bad thing that you're similar to your brothers or that you three share a similar trait. That's a part of you and you shouldn't change it nor be ashamed of it…"

I smiled brightly at him and kissed his cheek, making him blush.

"I take you for granted, Kabuto." I mused deeply, recalling moments we had together in my head. "But I'm really happy that I have you…"

"You have no idea how much I feel the same way…" He breathed as our fingers intertwined.

I rested my head on his shoulder as Kabuto moved himself closer to me. For a long moment, we stayed silent and watched the breath-taking view until the medic-nin gently nudged me to get my attention.

"I have another surprise for you…" He bribed playfully, turning away to reach it in his bag.

"Another surprise!?" I exclaimed incredulously with a grin. "You've already done enough, Kabuto. What else is there?"

"Ah! Here it is!" He chirped in accomplishment, turning to me with an object in his hands.

I examined the cubic object in his hands: assumingly a box wrapped up in shiny, silver wrapping paper with a golden ribbon tied beautifully with a flowery bow. Kabuto held it out for me to take which I did with a nod in thanks. I placed the average-sized present on my lap and gently dismantled it until I revealed the box true form: a velvet box. I slowly opened it, only to see another box within it. I was in awe when I saw what was in it. Basically, it was a fully bloomed, beautiful flower from the receptacle up: no stem. But that necessarily wasn't the amazing part of the gift but the fact that it was trapped in a beautiful round-type, lavender gem. According to my belief, this flower was called an anemone. In this case, it was a white anemone blended with purple near the edges of the petals. I glanced at the giver of this gift who gave me a proud smile.

"This is…" I stammered, not thinking straight as I carefully picked up the gem that protectively carried the flower.

"You like it?" He cut in curiously, confident about my response.

"I-I love it!" I exclaimed in reassurance. "It's so different yet very beautiful. I've never gotten something like this in my life…"

"It was long and hard to figure out the perfect gift." He briefed softly. "I then decided to go original…"

"Smart." I complimented, nodding in satisfaction. "You made this yourself…?"

"The idea was from yours truly." He answered smugly. "I found the rare anemone during one of my travels. The jewel was made by Guren…"

"You mean that bluenette with the Crystal Style Jutsu?" I questioned flatly. "Doesn't she like… _hate_ your guts or something?"

I had never spoken face-to-face with Guren before because what I was aware of, she was in isolation because she got rejected by Orochimaru. I theorized that she hated Kabuto because he was the snake's favourite subordinate. Because of these two males, her jealousy turned into hatred for them. The fact that the medic-nin got her to make the crystal was surprising indeed because I had seen her attitude once; it wasn't pleasant to say the least.

"Yes, and for the record, it took a lot of convincing for her to finally agree to crystalize the flower without letting our secret out…" He remarked with a smirk. "But seeing your reaction right now, it was worth it…"

Hearing that just my happiness was worth something to him made my heart flutter in delight. I would've never thought that I would meet someone that I was very comfortable with, accepted all of my flaws, and cared about me with so much passion. I always thought that I wouldn't find that special someone that I would cherish so much to the point where I wanted a life with them. Maybe I was wrong along; maybe Kabuto was that special someone that I was meant to be with but just didn't know.

"Kabuto, this is amazing… everything you did for me yesterday and today is all amazing…" I told him in awe, gazing at him admiringly. "I feel as though I owe you big time…"

I felt said male snaking his hand over to me to comfortingly grip my own as my hands were occupied by my crystal flower present. I gazed off into his dark, beautiful eyes that almost made me lose my sense of reality for a bit.

"Don't feel the need owe me anything because you absolutely don't…" He assured sternly, caressing my hand.

"What about revealing us to everyone?" I suggested thoughtfully. "I know you don't like the idea of always hiding; pretending there's nothing between us in front of our loved ones when it's the complete opposite."

Kabuto allowed this face to sink in. I knew this had some truth to it because the way how his shoulders and face fell told me just enough proof that was what he wanted.

"You're half right." He admitted lowly, his pupils glued to my gift. "Now that you've mentioned it, the one thing I want from you is to stop letting your brother getting between us…"

"But, Kabuto… you know that—"

"I know _exactly_ how Sasuke is. But he shouldn't be standing in your way from your happiness, regardless being your older brother." He interjected stubbornly, cutting me off. "If he doesn't accept our relationship, then f**k him! The only thing that matters is you…"

I let my head hung down, sulking at the boy's words. Kabuto was right; everything he said was true. But just because it was the truth doesn't make the situation any easier.

"I know you don't want him to know because if his grudge against me. And I know you're scared of losing him because of his possible rejection to us… you're simply scared of being left alone like your past…" He analyzed softly. "He was the first person who stood by you through thick and thin…"

I remained silent because I was hit so hard by the truth behind Kabuto's words.

"But you shouldn't worry about being alone in the first place!" He disclosed firmly then he grabbed my face delicately with both hands. "You don't need your brother to not feel alone because you have me and you always will have me! I will give you the love you so desperately need. I will embrace you with comfort whenever you please. I will erase every bit of loneliness you've ever felt! I will bear your pain for you, Katsumi…"

"Kabuto…" I gaped breathlessly, tears welling up in my eyes.

The next thing I knew, his lips were firmly against mine as he kissed me passionately. I felt a small stream of a single tear running down my face from the hard hitting truth slapping me to realization. It was true, I did felt so alone even to this day despite having Kabuto there for me because I was worried that eventually, I would lose him. That was basically the reason why I didn't want to tell Sasuke about us because I knew he was the only person who would stay by me unconditionally. It wasn't like I chose my brother over my partner; I was more assured that I would always had Sasuke no matter what. It was a sad way of thinking such a thing about someone as precious as the medic-nin but I couldn't help it. All I wanted was to not feel alone anymore; I was scared of being rejected again.

Kabuto pulled away, positioning his face less than an inch away from mine as he gazed into each other's eyes. His eyes told me that everything he said about not leaving me, he swore by it greatly which gave me the confidence to briefly kiss his lips again. He didn't allow me to pull away and I felt his arms wrapping around me, pulling me closer towards him. I allowed him to pull me as I walked on my knees to get closer faster. Meanwhile I snaked my arms around his neck as I straightened my posture on my knees as his arms were fastened firmly around my waist. Because of this position, Kabuto's head leaned up towards me as I towered over him with my head bent downward while my lips kissed his deeply. As the kiss deepened, I gradually moved my hands towards his face, firmly holding his cheeks while I leaned my body against his.

We pulled away a bit from each other after a moment later to catch our breath. As we took in air for our lungs, our eyes were glued to each other: Kabuto's were gazing admiringly up at me as I returned the gaze with the same amount of admiration. I gave out a deep sigh which raised a grey eyebrow from the male.

"If I knew this was your true self… I would've honestly fallen for you a long time ago…" I confessed begrudgingly, giving him a glossy look. "You're so gentle and caring to me consistently… yet to others you're some nasty, egotistical, psychopathic geek who cares about no one. You trust me so much that you not only show me the real Kabuto, but you also showed how committed you are to me…"

"Well… because…" He stammered slowly, gaining my attention until I realized he only sounded nervous just to see me full reaction.

I raised my eyebrows expectedly, waiting for what he had to say. I was a bit baffled when Kabuto gave me the most beautiful, bright smile I had ever seen.

"I love you…" He smiled sweetly, holding me tighter.

I blinked in shock with my lips parted from Kabuto's stunt. I knew he loved me by his kind gestures and the comfort he gave me, but actually saying those three words was what blew me away. He gently chuckled at my reaction, looking up at me kindly as I still towered over him which forced him to keep his chin up.

"I know that it's shocking to hear someone say that to you, especially by the likes of me…" He humoured lightly, then placed sincerity into his words. "But it couldn't be truer than the truth itself… I _love_ you, Katsumi…"

Just hearing them again was more surreal than the first time. Just the mere thought of someone actually saying that they loved me was too… the thought of it gave my lungs a hard time to take in air and my head was pounding to the beat of my heart, making me feel lightheaded. I had to tighten my grip around his neck to prevent myself from tipping over.

"I love you so much…" He repeated then he laid his head around my shoulder and chest. "Nothing's going to stand in my way from you. With all of my power, I will fight for us until I die…"

"Kabuto…" I whispered breathlessly, staring at his rested face with compassion and gratitude in my eyes. "This has been the best birthday I've ever had. You went through so much just to do all of this for me and I couldn't help but feel blessed to have you in my life…"

After giving my neck a brief kiss, I noticed Kabuto's breathing got deeper and its pace grew slower. Apparently waking up very early while turning in late could wear someone out, even Kabuto. However I was wide awake and very calm. I gave him a hug as he snoozed peacefully in my arms. I adjusted his position carefully without waking him up. Once I was certain that he was now comfortable, I allowed myself to enjoy the beautiful view of the warm sun shining down on us and the clear blue water ahead. I glanced down at my sleeping partner; the sun wasn't the only calming view I grew fond of. One of my arms was around his shoulders to keep his neck up from cramping while the other arm's hand was occupied by the male's hand as my fingers entwined with his. His lips were slightly parted to allow himself to breathe as his chest rose and fell by his breathing pattern. I smiled blissfully at him and my hand that once held his hand move up to caress his cheek. The medic-nin slightly stirred by this act, but stirred in a way that was adorable like a child in deep sleep.

"I…" I attempted to speak but the anxiety of saying the words caused my voice to crack.

I had never said it to any guy in which I carried romantic feelings for, so saying it was out of my comfort zone. But I knew in my heart that it was true, and out of everyone, Kabuto deserved to hear it. It shouldn't be as bad as I thought especially since he was currently napping. Plus, he just said it to me and I knew it took a lot of out him to do so. Despite these factors, in my heart I wanted to say these words to him. I wanted to say it with passion. But I wasn't ready… or at least not yet. With a small smile, I rested my forehead against his and stared kindly at his closed lids.

"I… I love you too… Kabuto…" I finally breathed lovingly as my lips brushed against his as I spoke. I then kissed his lips softly, not wanting to wake him up.

I continued to do so for about a moment, then I went back to gazing at him. I turned my attention back to the vast, bright view as I held Kabuto closer to me firmly, not wanting to let him go. I was actually proud of myself for finally telling him how I felt about him because every chance I got, I always ran away from it, scared to commit to my feelings to protect myself. But now I don't think I had to anymore because Kabuto was the one who protected me; he was my guardian angel and I couldn't be more safe and satisfied. Now I don't have to push myself to commit anymore because I knew where he stood in our relationship and so do I; him saying that he loved me really opened my eyes.

Then again, I said 'I love you' while he was unconscious so I still wasn't fully out of the woods. But still, it was a start. A start that I swore on my life to work on until the finish.

* * *

 **Finally done! Holy crap I thought I would never get this done! Well you guys, that's the end of their date and it was something right? Now that that's done, the story will continue back at Orochimaru's lair so make sure you're ready for some juicy stuff!**

 **Oh, and a follow-up to last chapter's note, I won't be able to upload or be around as much as I want to because of school. However I will for sure let you all know when there's a holiday or anything like that so you can enjoy my story you all seem to love.**


	24. Chapter 24

**So recently, it's come to my attention that there were other websites dedicated to those who love writing fantasy fiction like myself. And no, it's not because I thought FanFiction was the one and only website for such a purpose. It's mainly because I've been on FanFiction for so long and the stories being told here were unimaginable—in a good way—it never really occurred to me that I should look elsewhere. AS of right now, I'm testing those waters by reading stories from other websites/apps such as quotev and wattpad (however the latter's app is way too complicated for me.**

 **Basically, I'm thinking of posting stories on those websites too. But until I can get a second opinion, I won't come to a final decision because this is the least of my priorities. Just let me guys know what you personally think on this note and I'll gladly hear what you guys have to say.**

 **Okay, enough of my blabbering. Story time!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Truth Uncovered**

Hours had passed since my lovely birthday surprise from Kabuto. The thought of how my birthday was celebrated forced a smile on my face; it wasn't a typical birthday, but it also wasn't bad at all. I admired people who thought outside of the box for me because originality and uniqueness from others were my weak spots. I still couldn't imagine just how far he went for me just to celebrate the day I was born, especially when I forgot myself. For as long as I could remember, I never thought nor really cared about my birthday because why celebrate the day you were born when your existence was hated by your own? The only other time I recalled giving the energy to care and celebrate my birthday was my genin friends and mentors back at the Leaf; the amount of love I felt off of them was so overwhelming but heavenly at the same time. That feeling was the exact same feeling I got when Kabuto revealed that our whole "date day" was all a part of my birthday treat. To top it off with a cake and a beautiful present.

Said gift was sitting comfortably on my nightstand next to my bed. I usually held it with my hands just before I went to sleep, aweing at its beauty. Again, it wasn't like any other gift, but it was still beautiful indeed.

Currently, I was walking towards the comfort of my bedroom down the dull hallway. I had just finished assisting Kabuto with an antidote and medical experiments for Orochimaru. He assured that he could do the rest on his own and that I should take a deserving break. Also factoring in that he was close to finishing what needed to be done so there was no point in hanging around. I accepted his offer and left the lab without hesitation.

I walked into my room and briefly eyed at myself in the mirror as I was wearing my normal kunoichi outfit. I was notified by one of the snake's henchmen that I was needed in a mission later today and that I was supposed to head over to him for more details in about a moment. Since I no longer threw an inner fit when Orochimaru wanted, I didn't mind the errands and mission he assigned me to. Mostly because I barely had anything else to do. Since we got back earlier, the medic-nin had a large list of things that must be done since he requested a day off, which was yesterday. Yet another reason why I offered a hand a few moments ago. Because of this, we barely had a normal conversation: just two medics discussing medical drugs and whatnot. It wasn't like I was bored or anything, I simply had nothing else better to do.

I was about to head out until something peculiar caught my eye. I turned to the strange object which I knew full well it hadn't been in my room for too long; probably around earlier today it settled on my nightstand. I slowly slid towards it and blinked blankly at it. A white envelope. I scanned the physical appearance of it in all angles until I noticed a small text written on the back.

' _To Katsumi Uchiha…?'_ I read mentally in question, really confused as to what was in the envelope that was specifically for me and why.

There was obviously one way to find out. Inhaling, I skillfully opened the envelope, only to reveal a card sitting securely in its paper bed. I then exhaled as I pulled out the card out of the envelope and scanned all of the card angles too. It wasn't very simple; nothing special about it. It was colourful still but it came out as dull as it was colored dark blues, purples and black. Whoever this mysterious person was, they knew my style very well. My first guess was Kabuto, but I knew it wasn't possible because it hadn't done anything but work constantly at the experimental lab since we arrived back. I highly doubted Orochimaru was the one responsible for this sudden act of kindness because this was way out of his league unless he wanted something big and wanted to sweeten the deal somehow. Plus, the snake simply had no heart to begin with; why else was he "immortal" to begin with.

So if it wasn't Kabuto and it wasn't Orochimaru… there was only one possibility.

I opened up the card and in it had a memo written on the right side of the card. This supported my suspicion as to who was the giver because the handwriting was awfully familiar. I placed all of my attention on the written as my eyes scanned what was written.

 _ **We may not be in the best of terms, but regardless, we're flesh and blood. I hope you still remember what we've been through and how we made each other stronger. Happy Birthday, sis.**_

 _ **-Sasuke**_

I didn't know what to think or how should react. On one hand, I felt glad that my own brother didn't forget nor dismissed my birthday as he went just as far to give me a birthday card. But on the other hand, the fact that he knew that we weren't in good terms yet he still chose to not face me didn't sit right with me. Not to mention, Sasuke went as far to "remind" me the things we'd been through as if I didn't remember. I want to set the record straight and inform that I hadn't forget any detail where Sasuke and I were going through our ups and downs together. Simply put, he was trying to soften me up by memories instead of accepting what he did and apologize.

Since my feelings were bipolar and cancel out, I sort of felt numb about it.

I then noticed something else that was sitting on my nightstand after I slid the card back into the envelope. Placing the card on the small table, I picked up the small object which was a tiny present merely wrapped with a light blue ribbon. I removed the ribbon and opened the attached lid and stared blankly at the object sitting gracefully inside: a silver locket shaped as our clan's crest. I carefully picked up the necklace and examined it briefly. It was gorgeous, no doubt about it. Plus, it was possibly pricey according to its high quality. The fact that Sasuke purchased something this precious for me made my chest flutter as I felt slightly sensitive to Sasuke's perspective of everything. However, I shouldn't let some gift make me feel bad for being in the right while the other person was in the wrong.

Out of curiosity, I decided to open the locket and see what more surprises the raven had to offer. I gasped in shock to see two pictures that were too memorable to me, it made my heart skip a beat. One was a picture taken when we were seven and five-and-a-half years old. Little Sasuke stood there smiling brightly with his arm resting over my shoulder as little me stood beside with my arms folded across my chest with a confident grin on my face. I smiled thoughtfully at this picture as it brought so much bad memories, but also the rare bright spots of my childhood. I turned over to the second picture on the other inner half of the locket, immediately recognizing the exact moment when I convinced Sasuke to take a picture with me. It was taken around the time when we were thirteen and eleven-and-a-half years old. Sasuke—in his too cool to care stages of his life—stood there with his hands stuffed inside his pockets with a stoic look on his face while I stood close to his side, linking my arm with his as I smiled softly.

Seeing these two pictures brought a small tear to my eye; we were so close and so happy. What happened along the way that resulted this? We don't really talk to each other anymore and I barely saw him either. When would this all be fixed?

Apparently time would only tell.

I huffed to myself as I closed the locket securely. I attached it around my neck and hid it under my top so no one would question about it. Once that was done, I quickly left my room and headed on over to meet with Orochimaru to discuss about my mission. As I made my way to him, I couldn't help but place my hand on my chest where my new locket laid.

* * *

Well, things always seemed to come out as surprises for me lately. Long story short, my mission—in which I was riding on solo this time—was a top-secret mission: to retrieve classified, sealed documents from one of Orochimaru's subordinates, Karin who was located in the Southern Hideout. I had known Karin about a month after settling in and she was around the same age as Sasuke. Anyway, we had gotten to know each other a bit and respectfully saw ourselves as mutual friends, basically. So seeing her would probably be the highlight of my day. The reason behind why I was sent on this mission alone was still sort of unclear to me. I shrugged it off since this was my first mission on my own, meaning anything could happen. I was actually curious of what was in store of me.

I halted my footsteps firmly because a pair of arms were wrapped around my waist by someone who stood very close to me. I let out a smirk, already knowing who it was.

"Miss me already?" I presumed playfully, slightly turning my head. "I thought you had your experiments keeping you busy."

"Well, I got bored…" He replied whiningly, slightly pouting. "Plus I heard you're heading out on a mission on your own, so I wanted to see you before you leave…"

My smirked stretched when I heard his excuse. "Well, can't really blame you; your hormones simply can't get enough of me and I can understand that…"

"There you go again, hyping yourself up…" He huffed in fake tiredness as he forcibly moved me towards the hallway wall.

"It's just pure confidence…" I corrected cockily, holding his cheeks with both hands.

Kabuto chuckled lowly to himself as he snaked his arms around my waist, pushing me against the wall and removing any personal space that I once had. I glanced up at his eyes to see nothing but hunger and desire in his dark eyes. I knew by this look… he was craving for me that it caused him to lose his logical sense. It explained why he was acting like this. When he hastily placed his lips on my mine, it confirmed my suspicion of him feeling provocative. His hands ran all over my body and his lips were savouring my taste. Due to being ticklish, I let out a soft giggle when his lips moved down to my neck, creating love bites as he pressed my body with his. Stopping my train of thought, I brought my hands to his shoulders and tried to push him off of me but of course the medic-nin refused to budge as he continued to kiss me inside out.

"Kabuto, seriously stop it!" I demanded hardly as I let out moans from his loving movements on me. "Someone will see us and we'll die because of you!"

Kabuto stopped making out with my neck however kept his nose and lips on the sensitive skin. He responded to my worries by snickering.

"But taking that risk makes it more exciting and hot…" He muttered huskily then continued nibbling my neck.

Men's sex drive were just like electrical motors: once it started, it was close to impossible for it to stop unless they stopped themselves. This was another reason why I couldn't deal with relationships. Yet I was currently in one.

Since there was basically no way for Kabuto to listen to reason, I decided to give in and enjoy the moment with him. He sensed that I finally surrendered to him and immediately went forth to sending me off with this passionate moment. We went on hard for a few moments and we didn't seem to lose our breath and energy. There was no telling how long I would be out on this mission so I wanted to cherish this amazing moment with him as much as possible.

Then, I sensed immediate danger on the radar and it was very close. In fact it was so close, it was right behind Kabuto and it was coming at us—specifically him—with immense chakra. Most likely a jutsu. A jutsu that was too familiar to me that shot my eyes wider than plates. Just before I sent the warning to Kabuto, he swiftly scooped me up in his arms bridal style and jumped a safe distance away from the jutsu that could've killed us both. I gazed over at the user of this symbolic jutsu anxiously as my grey haired partner held me securely in a crouching position. The sounds of birds chirping widely deafened my quickened breaths as the raven from a distance stared lividly at us—particularly at Kabuto. I knew from the beginning that we would get caught if four eyes just listened to me and stop. Because of him, we were now about to face the wrath of my older, protective, revengeful brother.

"Sasuke…" I breathed nervously, shying away and leaning in on Kabuto.

It was evident that Sasuke was enraged by the sight of Kabuto making out with his sister, especially since his Sharingan was blazing in crimson red with hate. I hadn't seen the raven this indignantly resentful since his encounter with Itachi where he completely gone mad—according to Naruto. Though lately he was very skilled in keeping his emotions and hatred intact, there were still boundaries that could cause his intent to kill mercilessly if crossed. Right now, Sasuke's eyes were on Kabuto and with his Chidori and Sharingan activated, the chances of surviving were slim to none. Then I heard a painful grunt coming from said soon-to-be-victim which pulled me out of my fears for a moment. I eyed at Kabuto who was biting his lip, holding back the urge to groan for some reason. It was then I realized something red glazed over his clothes, around his shoulder. I scanned it for a bit and gasped to recognize it as blood being pumped out of him. Not only that, but I noticed there was a deep wound on his shoulder that was very close to revealing his bone. This grew my concern of the male's chances surviving this situation.

"Kabuto, your shoulder…" I informed concernedly.

"Don't worry about me, Katsumi…" He replied quickly in strain, keeping his eyes on the Uchiha male ahead. "I'm alright. Besides, there's nothing I can do about it now…"

I gave him a glossy look in concern as he stared sharply at Sasuke. I then turned my attention to said raven who dismissed his lightning jutsu but still kept his crimson eyes directly on us with fury.

" _Bastard_ …" He seethed deadly. "How _**dare**_ you lay your filthy hands on her?"

"I can assure you that I have her full consent." Kabuto confirmed solidly.

"I don't care if she gave you _permission_!" The raven snapped agitatedly, his crimson eyes blazing lividly. "You have _no_ right to lay a finger on her _**whatsoever**_ **.** "

I shuttered by Sasuke's words as I watched him from afar. I shrunk into Kabuto like a shy child meeting their relative for the first time. Sensing this, he tightened his grip on me in a comforting matter as he stood his ground in front of the enraged raven.

"And _you_ have no right to control her!" Kabuto snapped irritably, causing me to jump by his tone. "She is more than able to make her own decisions and live her life the way she desires!"

By the looks of it, my dear brother wasn't too pleased by Kabuto's words said to him. To say the least, he reminded me of an aggressive bull seeing merely red.

"She's my sister, meaning I decide what's best for her to protect her whether she likes it or not!" The raven seethed venomously. "I don't need to hear the likes of you telling me how to take care of my loved one when you have no one!"

I could see the bits of hurt in the medic-nin's eyes when Sasuke said those words. The fact that he went so low to say senseless things when he knew nothing offended me too, saying that Kabuto had no loved ones when he doesn't know the full story. Plus, he wasn't happy at all when someone mentioned about our clan. I sharpened my glare at the raven despite him not realizing it.

"No matter…" He growled lowly, drawing out his sword as he glared darkly. "You'll die in this very hallway… as a punishment for forcibly touching _my_ sister…"

"Like I just said, I have her consent!" Kabuto scoffed harshly. "So you should remain silent because you're no Sage!"

Sasuke's crimson eyes blazed strongly at his intended victim as he held out his sword in front of him. "As her older brother, it's my duty to protect her from filthy, disgusting, perverted men like you! Especially those who work for a filthy, good-for-nothing snake…!"

"Since when _you_ protected me!?" I interjected incredulously, causing both men to bring their attention to me. "Older brother, my ass! We've barely spoken because you don't have the balls to own up to what you did!"

Kabuto's lips parted slightly in shock by my use of words whereas Sasuke on the other hand had no reaction on his face. But by the look of his eyes, I knew he didn't expect those words from me, his little sister.

"Don't think your slick, 'bro'! I know that you're frustrated with us so you decided to take it out on Kabuto!" I added exasperatedly. "He doesn't deserve your bulls**t because sadly, he's more of a man than you'll ever be!"

Finally, my brother showed the gawked look he kept deep inside of him; offended that I questioned his masculinity. Meanwhile, Kabuto was trying his damn best not to laugh at the look Sasuke had on his face. Seeing as though we were "mocking" him, he masked his embarrassment with a dark glare.

"And for your information, he has a loved one…" I remarked strongly. "He has me… and that's all the love he needs and you don't deserve any of it…"

Okay, so maybe I went a little too far on that because I basically told my older brother that I didn't love him. It wasn't true, but at this point, I would do anything to get my point across his thick, narrow skull.

"You're telling me… that you're in love with _him_ , Katsumi… of all people…" He gritted lowly, trying to commit to this fact but was having a hard time. "You're telling me that… he's more important to you… than _me_ …"

"Think what you want, Sasuke." I offered nonchalantly, unfazed by his glare. "Because I'm sick and tired of reaching my hand out to you, waiting for you to take it."

Sasuke merely blinked a couple of times, waiting for me to say more.

"Kabuto was the only person who took my hand, swearing on his life to stand by me. Despite how badly I treated him, he accepted me and loved me for who I am…" I continued softly, lowering my gaze as I felt said male holding me tighter. "He was there for me anytime I needed him, unlike you. So I'm standing by him too, especially against you…"

The raven 'hmphed' at my words. "He's probably using you for his entertainment. He's only in love with that damn Orochimaru, not you. The fact that you actually believe he even gives a slight damn about you is ludicrous. In comparison with me, I've never used you by any means and I know you better than that fool and anyone else…"

"If you did, then why the f**k not come to me and mend our 'bond'!?" I snapped furiously. "You made it clear that you didn't care because all you give a crap about is your revenge on Itachi! I mean, it's obvious he's more important to you than me!"

There was a slight glint of hurt in the raven's eyes when I said those blunt words. It was as if the more he defended himself, the more offensive I wanted my words for him to be.

"Doesn't matter anymore because Kabuto doesn't have the ignorance to want to waste his life murdering another person." I dismissed coldly.

"Really, now?" He sarcastically venomously.

"All you claims are false no matter what you believe." Kabuto cut in confidently, sharpening his look at him. "I have great adoration for Katsumi and I will protect her and our relationship from anyone, including you… because no matter what you say or do… it will never stop my feelings for her from growing…"

Sasuke's lips suddenly stretched into a very small but evil smirk as he 'hmphed' once again, mocking our words directed towards him. "Well, if that's the case… I want to see how much my sister ' _means_ 'to you…"

The tone of his voice grabbed both of our attentions.

"One-on-one, you and me…" Sasuke solidly purposed. "If you—miraculously—beat me, then you've proved your faithfulness to both me and Katsumi…"

"And what if he loses!?" I inquired harshly.

I started getting a bit anxious when my brother's smirk stretched further and darker.

"Then he'll die and you'll finally realize how pathetic he really is." He smugly replied. "Think of it as a punishment for ever defying me… _sis…_ "

"You f**kin' jackass—!"

"Katsumi!" I heard someone demandingly calling my name and turned to the medic-nin.

My jaw dropped when I translated the look he was giving.

"Don't tell me you're—!"

"I have no other choice, it's the only way to prove my feelings for you to Sasuke. Plus, I highly doubt he'll let us slip by without a fight." He interrupted determinedly. "I already told you that I'll gladly die protecting us."

As much as I admired Kabuto's loyal, courageous persona, the feeling of him actually carrying out his goal against my brother—risking his life—was close to being unbearable. He promised me that I would never be alone ever again he was taking the risk in killing himself just to prove himself to the likes of Sasuke. I don't know if I should feel betrayed.

"B-But—"

"I'll be fine, Katsumi." He breathed soothingly, gazing at me kindly. "I'm not as weak as you guys think."

"Kabuto, don't be stupid! I don't want—!" My rant was cut off by Kabuto hastily placing me on the hallway floor and immediately running towards Sasuke with a kunai in hand.

That was it; nothing could change his dense mind. All I could do now was watch my two most important people from a distance battling it out until death. I was aware that Kabuto hadn't fully recovered from his wound Sasuke inflicted earlier which made me even more concerned for him. Not to mention that I was also concerned of my brother getting himself hurt too because as his sister, I couldn't help myself.

As the medic-nin dashed towards the stoic raven, he held his free hand back, attempting to throw a punch. It was easily dodged and Sasuke countered with a strong kick to the head to which Kabuto blocked with his fore arms. There were starting this battle off with taijutsu, simply warming themselves up for what was to come. I knew that Kabuto was a skilled rogue ninja minus his medical ninjutsu and Sasuke was indeed powerful himself; this could go either way. However I hoped by some miracle that Kabuto pulled through as a result because that was the only way we could stay together despite my dear big brother disapproving. I wasn't doubting my partner's strength; it was just that the Uchiha male was someone no one wouldn't or shouldn't mess with, especially when he was pissed off.

After a long moment of the men throwing punches and kicks at each other, Sasuke gave himself some distance away from his opponent and performed a series of hand signs. I gasped in realization when the hand seals translated the activation of our clan's fire jutsu. Despite obtaining numerous jutsu, our fire jutsu was always our go-to. What was baffling though was the fact that the raven was urging to cover the entire hallway we all stood in with hot, burning flames. That was another quality of the great Sasuke Uchiha: he could barely use common sense when his main intention was to kill.

Kabuto was aware of this too and eyed firmly at the flames that were flowing out of the boy's lips. Meanwhile, I remained sitting on the floor in a safe distance away from the fight yet getting a front-row seat of all of it. My eyes widened when the snake's faithful subordinate was engulfed by the flames, doing merely nothing to stop it. However I could still sense his chakra, meaning he was still alive but nowhere to be seen. Once the flames distinguished themselves, all there was left were burnt up walls and floor and ashes where the bookworm once stood. I tried to sense his exact location without using my Sharingan because I didn't want to hint Sasuke in anyway. In the last second, I sensed the missing male underneath said raven and at the same time, he too sensed him and skillfully removed himself from his spot. Simultaneously, Kabuto broke through the tiled floor with his chakra scalpel which he possibly intended to strike Sasuke with it without him noticing. Sadly it didn't work.

"Damn, he saw through my attack…" The medic-nin grumbled in frustration, glaring hardly at the stoic male in front of him with his face unmoved.

"Nothing you do won't work as long as I have my Sharingan." Sasuke disclosed cockily, holding out his sword and dashing towards him.

With his kunai, Kabuto blocked his sword from slicing him into two. Their blades scratched each other hastily, causing sparks to fly from the metal. They pulled their weapons away but were met again in seconds. They continued to do this until one or the other made a scratch. Eventually Sasuke was able to make a minor cut on his opponent's arm whereas he was left untouched. This made me nervous because that was a sign telling me the possible outcome of this match.

For some reason, Kabuto's mind wasn't really in the same place as Sasuke's and my own because said raven was able to land a hard, cold kick in the man's chest which resulted him to skid across the hallways backwards, towards me. I allowed my concern for him to show on my face as he held his bruised chest protectively, panting like he just ran a marathon and in desperate need of water. Meanwhile, Sasuke was walking towards was in bore as he lazily held his sword near his side. His Sharingan eyes were staring daggers at us, thinking of his next plan of attack.

Something didn't sit right for me, oddly enough. Though everything in front of me was easy enough for a child to understand, the two's movements and attacks were a bit off. Not to say that they were holding back because I wasn't too sure if that was the case; I mean, they had no reason to play lightly with each other. So why were they slacking off instead of mercilessly killing each other? The raven was probably dragging this battle long on purpose. Understandable enough. But Kabuto was really acting different. He would normally kill off his enemy completely or he would let them suffer for his own entertainment. Plus, he wasn't a weak shinobi; he was very skilled in his own way and his intelligence was very remarkable. So why the hell was he getting battered by his junior.

I should I say, why was he _allowing_ himself being battered by my brother?

I was immediately cut off from my personal thoughts when Sasuke instantly activated his Chidori Sharp Spear, possibly intending to finish it right away. However, this time it looked as if his attack was aimed towards me. Hell, it _was_ because Kabuto happened to stand in front of me a little as the spear was heading towards my vulnerable side _._ The fact that my own flesh-and-blood didn't go through so many lengths to put me into danger showed that he simply didn't care for any human being. He didn't care about me. Not anymore. I said some things to him that crossed the line and I wouldn't blame him if he held that against me. But actions spoke louder than words and I got his message clear. The thought of that just froze my entire presence as my body refused to move as thoughts were racing in my mind, telling me to move out of the way before the spear hit. But I didn't; I sat there hopelessly, thinking that the last sight before I was dead was the sight of Sasuke's stoic, blank face.

But I felt no pain. None whatsoever. Did I just died instantly with no pain? Then why was I still in Orochimaru's hideout? Was I even dead? Did Sasuke's jutsu even strike me? If it didn't then why did I saw blood dripping in front of me?

I gawked in shock when I realized that I wasn't the victim of this jutsu. Kabuto was; his body begged for mercy as it shook in pain. The Chidori Spear pierced its way through the middle of the male's chest, resulting it to bleed heavily as blood dripped slowly but surely on the ground in front of me. I watched the medic-nin panting and coughing as blood started flowing out of the sides of his lips. He made no effort to remove himself from the spear due to risking even more damage to his body so he remained in the same position, gluing his feet to the ground. I knew without my eyes open that he was wounded pretty badly according to his external state. I couldn't imagine the internal damage he was likely suffering and could end up getting worst if not checked.

My breaths started getting shorter and shorter just the mere sight of Kabuto hurt so badly, by my own brother. And frankly, he did what he swore he would do: protect me. He protected me using his body as a shield for me. He threw himself in front of me from being hit and possibly _killed_ by my own brother, completely contradicting himself. The raven was right: he was willing to do literally _anything_ to achieve his goal… including getting rid of me.

' _Sasuke… are you really my brother…? Because right now… you remind me of father…'_

"K-Katsumi…" I heard said partner call me weakly, grabbing my attention. "Are you… okay…?" He asked in between breaths.

"Why ask me when _you're_ the one that's hurt!?" I snapped heartbreakingly, resisting the urge to burst into tears. "Why would you let yourself get hurt!?"

I then heard Kabuto chuckle lowly. "You're always so stubborn, questioning every single thing I do…" He mused as I felt a smirk stretching his lips by the sound of his voice.

"Kabuto…" I breathed heartbreakingly as I gazed up at him.

I snapped a death glare at my brother who remained standing there with a dull, blank look on his face. He wasn't fazed that he almost killed my partner nor regretting in attempting to hurt me in the slightest. It angered me that he didn't give a s**t about what mattered to me, despite him claiming he "cared about me".

"What the f**k are you waiting for, jackass!?" I spat fumingly, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy. "Dispel your jutsu! You've already won so stop making him suffer even more."

After a 'hmph' in return to my retort, he begrudgingly called off his jutsu. Kabuto then dropped hard on his knees with a painful grunt, holding the deep, severe wound on his chest with both hands as blood continued to pump heavily. I moved quickly over to him and held his shoulders to prevent him from hitting hard on his head. He took deep, slow breaths to prevent himself from screaming in pain. He proceeding to cough out more blood, causing more of his blood to spurt out of him. I knew by the looks of it that he was suffering a nicked artery, causing huge amounts of blood to pour out. Not only that, he seemed to also suffer internal bleeding since he was constantly hacking blood. How much pain he was in really made my stomach turn because the sight I was seeing of my partner was sickening.

"Kabuto…" I tried my hardest not to tear up as said liquid welled up at the corner of my eyes.

Kabuto said nothing because he was too busy holding onto consciousness as he started to look like he was getting a bit lightheaded. His breathing started to stagger; his lungs were desperate for air. I was finally able to shake off of the frightening sight and switched my mindset to a professional medic ninja. But just before I was about to tend to the male's injuries, a strong, familiar, intense chakra approached within my radar and it was coming at our direction with such speed. I glanced up and saw nothing but Chidori activated once again as Sasuke ran towards us in high speed.

He was planning on finishing poor Kabuto off before I could heal him.

Subconsciously, I swiftly moved in front of the grey haired male and guarded him protectively like he did earlier for me. I bravely stared at my brother who continued to sprint rapidly towards me with his Chidori ready to kill. The moment I blocked his target, his eyes widened when he realized what I was doing: I was protecting Kabuto by taking the deadly hit for him. It turned out that he wasn't aiming for me and now that I was stubbornly in his way and with the intense speed he was travelling in, he knew just as much as I did that it was too late to turn back. But I didn't care about dying; the bookworm was important to me and I would protect him just as much as he would for me from anyone, including my brother. If Sasuke killed me, the only thing I gained was proving that I indeed cared and secretly loved the male behind me. My spirit fleeing to heaven with the thought of Kabuto was satisfying to me, so I didn't mind one bit.

"K-Katsumi…!" I heard the Yakushi boy gasp for air. "What the… hell are you doing? Get out of the way!"

I shook my head strongly. "If Sasuke wants to finish you off, he has to go through me first!" I declared solidly as I glared darkly at my brother.

Sasuke remained silent as his body pushed forward on the once-intended attack, getting closer and closer as I prepared myself to either feel unimaginable pain or sudden darkness. The look on his face was telling me to get out of the way before it was too late. He knew that he would feel utter regret and guilt if I don't move. But I refused; he deserved to feel guilty, but for hurting something precious, not for my death. Surprisingly, I felt as though because of Kabuto, I would die a happy death and not a miserable one considering how my life played out. He was a game-changer and I couldn't be happier. At my last final moment, a small but passionate smile stretched my lips, signalling my happiness and the excitement to finally have peace in mind as I closed my eyes.

I was ready for the next world.

But nothing happened. Sasuke's Chidori never hit me though I could still hear its obnoxious, loud chirping about an inch away from me. I didn't feel blood pour out of me nor did I feel any pain whatsoever. What happed? It was impossible for my brother to stop his attack because he travelled with intense speed; it would be impossible for him to call it off. So if the raven didn't prevent my death, then who did?

"Must you all make a ruckus in my hideout while I'm experimenting?" A low, amused, familiar voice sighed in fake disappointment. "On top of that, you caused damage to my very lair. I give you too much freedom, I see…"

Merely hearing that voice was enough for me to shot my eyes wide open in surprise when I heard the snake's voice. Instead of feeling disgusted and creeped out, I was relieved. I didn't have to process the fact that it was Orochimaru who stopped Sasuke's jutsu from instantly killing me with his big, disgusted snake jutsu that bounded the male from any further movement. The look on the raven's face showed a bit of the same relief I felt except the discouragement he felt because he was busted by his mentor and that of all people, the Sanin was the one who saved him from feeling guilt and regret. I glanced past my brother to see said Sanin standing not too far behind Sasuke with a rested look on his face; it was unclear what he felt due to his blank-colored face being blank. His arm was lazily stretched out that was current the stem of his white snakes.

If I had to guess, he knew what was really going on and what provoked this result. I wondered where his heart stood in all this… if he had a heart.

"Urgh!" I heard Kabuto yelped in pain as more blood spewed out of his mouth, resulting him to collapse hard on the ground behind me.

Ignoring the men's thoughts in front of me, I spun around quickly and used my strength to position the bloodied Yakushi male to lay on his back as he breathed hardly. I didn't bother examining his injuries and went ahead to use my strongest medical ninjutsu on my patient. I made sure my chakra was focusing solely on the most severe injuries he sustained to better his chances in living. Though I was very focused on Kabuto's wellbeing, I used my multitasking skills to listen to the brief conversation behind me.

"Let me go, Orochimaru…" Sasuke demanded threateningly as he glared over his shoulder at him.

"I'm iffy if I _should_ let you go given the fact you did most of the damage here…" The snake hesitated playfully with his sadistic smile.

" _Orochimaru_ …" The raven hissed demandingly, sharpening his crimson glare.

With a disappointing sigh, Orochimaru eventually granted his wish and dismantled his jutsu that bounded Sasuke.

"I had a feeling that you instigated this fight against Kabuto, knowing how much you despise him." The Sanin commented thoughtfully. "When you figured out that he was in love with your sister, I knew you just had to lay your hands on him…"

Sasuke kept his thoughts to himself as he had a staring contest with the floor while I continued to heal the bookworm.

"I told you to control your behaviour when you're in my lair, didn't I?" The snake gritted displeasingly. "You don't have to befriend Kabuto, but show some respect to your elder, boy. He's my top subordinate and he deserves some manners from brats like you."

"Hmph." It was all my brother had to say to the Sanin, to which said male huffed tiredly.

All feelings aside, Orochimaru made a good point: Sasuke really needed to learn how to respect those who deserved it. The fact that he was an Uchiha gave him a bighead for himself.

"Normally, I would give punishments to those who need discipline…" He then remarked simply. "But because Katsumi is unfortunately stuck in the middle between you and Kabuto, I'll let it slide this time. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be too happy about her 'beloved' big brother getting hurt for being naughty…"

Seeing as though there was no point in listening to the snake and anyone else, Sasuke treaded off down the damaged hallways possibly to his room. At this point, I highly doubted he listened to Orochimaru or even cared that his behaviour was unacceptable; Sasuke does what Sasuke wanted. Doesn't matter; the only thing I cared about was Kabuto's health.

I was focusing repairing his gruesome, deep wounds when I heard footsteps of another heading towards me. I winced when they got louder then suddenly stopped. Whoever this person was—and I had a good idea as in who—they were now standing behind me because their shadow covered me but not completely. This told me that the "stranger" had the decency to give me some personal space. I slowly turned my head only to catch a glimpse of Orochimaru himself looking blankly down at me. Immediately I went to defense mode and swiftly spun around with a kunai in my hand as the other arm was raised along my side, protecting the injured boy behind me.

"Don't be tense, my dear…" He cooed with a smirk. "I have no intention nor interest in playing any tricks right now…"

"How do I know you're not bulls**ting, huh!?" I replied accusingly, glaring hardly at him.

All of a sudden, the snake's smirk disappeared and was replaced with a thin line. I gaped in confusion when the look on his eyes was different from his devious, evil, dark looks he often had.

"We must take Kabuto to a more appropriate setting to tend to his wounds…" He simply suggested and turned his heel, walking off the opposite direction from where Sasuke fled.

Orochimaru easily scooped up Kabuto in his arms and continued walking down the hallway, signalling me to follow him. Without hesitation, I quickly walked to catch up to the Sanin who then stood in front of a wooden door in which I stood there curiously. He briefly glanced at me expectedly, and after mentally calling myself stupid, I opened the door and allowed him to pass. I then carefully closed the door behind me as the snake gently placed his special subordinate on the hospital bed.

* * *

"I-I don't get it…" I spoke aloud after a long period of silence.

I was continuing with my healing treatment on Kabuto who now laid there half naked on a comfortable bed, healing every single cut and bruise he sustained until his body was good as new. Meanwhile, Orochimaru was searching for more blood for the blood transfusion for the bookworm since he lost way too much blood and he needed it to literally survive.

"What is it now?" He asked curiously, approaching me with a bag of more blood for the patient.

"Kabuto and I are together secretly from not only Sasuke… but you also." I briefed quickly as I kept my eyes on Kabuto's unconscious face. "Plus, Sasuke attempted to kill your favourite subordinate… yet you don't seem mad at all…"

The snake took a moment to quietly choose the right words in a way that I could understand his viewpoint in everything relating to this topic.

"Your romantic relationship with Kabuto did peek my attention at the very most. Other than that, I didn't really think of it at all…" He responded blankly as he continued to fill the blood supply.

Though physically I looked unfazed by his words, I was both shocked and confused with his response. Kabuto did predicted that the snake wouldn't really take a certain interest on our relationship since it wouldn't really benefit him in any way, which I disagreed because Orochimaru was known to be the type to use people to get what he wanted. The fact that the nerd hypothesis was correct, it showed that he knew more about the Sanin than I originally thought.

But something about the man's response urged me to know one thing.

"How long did you know about us?" I questioned lowly, gritting my teeth in frustration. "Did you know of it this whole time?"

"I had some idea that there was something going on between you two when you guys arrived from your mission. I questioned Kabuto about it and he assured me that nothing of the sort was happening so I took his word for it." He answered willingly as he adjusted the blood supply. "However, I wasn't sure when this all started…"

I remained silent to hear more of Orochimaru's response.

"If I had to guess, I probably found out around the time your relationship first began." He continued nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders. "My assumptions were soon solidified when I noticed Kabuto having the strange urge to complete his tasks and missions I give him. Plus, I took into note that he always headed back to his 'bedroom' in a hurry…"

I gritted my teeth, pissed off at four eyes' inability to keep things undercover consistently.

"What are _your_ feelings about us anyway?" I inquired forcefully, narrowing my eyes at him.

Orochimaru eyed at me blankly despite me performing a similar behaviour to my brother's.

"Like I said before, I didn't think that much of it. I did find it amusing when I first found out about it, but I had no interest in using your feelings and/or Kabuto's feelings for my personal gain…" He answered bluntly as he had a look in his eyes that told me he was being truthful. "Why should I? It makes no sense if it doesn't help me reach my goals and you two aren't getting in my way in achieving them, so what's the point?"

"So you don't care that I'm dating your prized sidekick?" I summarized, sounding not really convinced by his words. "Wouldn't that disturb your path to your goals if Kabuto's focus is on me? If that's what you're worried about, I mean…"

Orochimaru shook his head slowly and then he placed a piece of hair around his ear, removing it from his view.

"It hasn't affected Kabuto to the point where he simply wouldn't complete his duties…" He answered. "If anything, you're the motivation that makes him work twice as hard, twice as fast…"

"Really?" I questioned in disbelief, strongly thinking that the snake was just being nice.

Orochimaru nodded. "Apparently he worshipped you as a talented, gifted princess of one of the most prestigious, formidable clans in the Ninja World. It's a possibility that he feels the need to work extra hard to reach to your level of talent and medical skills, so he stays up extra late studying, doing my experiments way ahead of schedule, and creating new antidotes for me just because he wants to prove to you that he's just as good as you are despite coming from nothing…" He clarified thoughtfully as I saw a glimpse of sympathy for said male from deep within.

"How the hell do you know that when you don't give a s**t about him in the first place?" I inquired accusingly, narrowing my onyx eyes at him.

Orochimaru sighed again. "You remind me of your brother: you two seem to believe your assumptions are facts without hearing the truth…" He commented disappointedly.

"Answer my question already!" I ordered coldly, making sure my emotions doesn't affect my focus on my chakra.

"Yes, Kabuto is my subordinate and he is expected to do as I say whenever I please… but that doesn't mean I have no empathy nor sympathy for the boy at all…" He briefly answered, looking down at said male.

I blinked incredulously at him as he continued.

"I figured he already told you how he and I first encountered one another…" He assumed matter-of-factly, to which I responded with a nod. "Though it may not seem like it, I was genuinely concerned for him because he literally had nothing to live for at the time…"

My lips parted at the Sanin's confession; he actually gave a s**t about Kabuto? The f**k!?

"All he ever wanted was to find out who he was… and he needed someone to guide him to his identity." He softly claimed, breaking a few of his walls down in front of me. "I promised him that I would be his father, his brother, his friend… I swore to him that he'll find his identity if he stayed with me as my subordinate…"

"Where do you stand with your promise to him?" I asked curiously.

"I wasn't sure how to find his identity because he never had one to begin with; it was as if he was brought to this world as a nonexistent being… I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into until he was entirely devoted to me… I thought that he saw this as his identity so I thought nothing of it since…" He answered deeply, giving off a soft look from his sharp, golden eyes. "It seems to me he still doesn't know who he is and he's willing to sacrifice anything to find the answer. I wanted to help him but I failed because I was too focused on my experiments and forbidden jutsu to consider Kabuto's feelings…."

' _This is surprising, coming from the likes of him…'_ I thought to myself, looking down on the bed in front of me.

"He loves you…" Orochimaru suddenly spoke aloud, causing me to snap out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"For some reason, you mean so much to Kabuto, he literally threw his life on the line to show to Sasuke just how much love he has for you…" He clarified simply then he gazed down at his favourite subordinate. "Your existence is the only thing that makes him truly happy with himself and his life. You might be the reason why he continues so hard to build himself up and become even stronger…"

"Where did you get that logic from?" I questioned suspiciously, weirded out that he knew so much of the male that it made me wonder how much does he know about me.

"Kabuto is unique and different from a lot of people, especially when it comes to his relationships with others. Of course the only real relationships he has is with you and I. He expresses himself in a way where he's the most heartless, egotistical, psychotic human you've ever met to those who meant absolutely nothing to him. There are times where he can be more heartless and evil than myself." The Sanin explained, recalling his experience with the medic-nin. "But to those who are special to him, he immediately becomes the exact opposite: a loyal, selfless, respectful, generous person who will stop at nothing for those he cares about. For as long as I've known him, he's never complained nor hesitated once in doing my bidding while carrying great respect for me."

"So you're basically telling me is that though Kabuto has no identity, he is bipolar with his emotions towards others?" I summarized unsurely, raising my eyebrow.

"Pretty much." Orochimaru nodded dully. "He's the type where you don't know which side of him you'll see like a switch but you don't know if the light will turn on or stay off."

"I'll keep that in mind, I guess…" I shrugged dismissively, calling off my medical ninjutsu and picking up a roll of bandages.

But I could see what the Sanin meant. When I first met the Yakushi male just before the Chunin Exam, the first thing that came up to mind was that he was an arrogant, card-loving, snarky geek who doesn't care about failing in becoming a ninja because academics and intelligence matter the most, not endurance. That Kabuto made me want to punch him in the face because just his demeanor and his cocky face was just too repulsive to me; I just didn't like him at all the moment I saw him. Now… it was as if the guy I met years ago died and was replaced by the present Kabuto. The snake described his soft side accurately. I wouldn't blame my former comrades for not believing me but the fact of the matter was… Kabuto Yakushi had a big heart for his close ones.

"That's another reason why I don't mind your relationship with him…" He remarked lowly, earning my entire attention. "You're the one thing that makes him happy and the one thing left to live for. You're the only thing that makes him feel humane. The last thing I was is to take away his sense of human within himself."

"You have a heart...?" I scoffed sarcastically, grinning to myself.

"People like me aren't as heartless as you think, dear…" He claimed firmly. "We act harshly and perform bad deeds because of how cold-hearted we are. However, our hearts aren't completely frozen nor we are heartless to begin with; we wouldn't be human without the human heart we all carried…"

"But you're taking it too literal, Orochimaru." I interjected in disagreement, to which he silenced himself. "People are called 'heartless' not because they literally don't carry a heart, but because they simply don't think or care for others perception and pain caused by their actions that affected them. They do as they please because they're nothing but selfish, manipulating, devious psychopaths."

Orochimaru lips made a thin line, considering my point of view of this topic.

"Let me put it for you this way…" He offered blankly. "If I really was _heartless_ then I would've simply used you, Sasuke, and even Kabuto for my experiments just because I couldn't care less about you three. I wouldn't have trained Sasuke to become powerful enough to kill Itachi, I would've imprisoned you in a small tiny cell with rounds of experiments on you, and I would've abandoned Kabuto just because I have 'no heart'."

My lips parted a bit when he explained his example. As weird as it sounds, Orochimaru wasn't heartless because in a microscopic way, he was human. He allowed me and Sasuke to roman freely in his lair whenever we wanted and allowed us to make ourselves comfortable as if it were our home. Plus, he does hold Kabuto highly, treated him with decency where he was allowed to have time for himself and he does have some patience for the grey haired male when things were taking a while to complete. Overall, he made a point: a person who was considered 'cold-hearted' doesn't mean they had no human feelings, they were just immune to them by their behalf. People chose how to feel and how to act simply because they wanted to, not because they were immune to emotions, whether they were good or bad. Orochimaru was a good example of this: he was one of the most wanted rogue ninja in the bingo books in every nation however he acted humble towards Sasuke, Kabuto and I in his own habitat, allowing us to make ourselves at home despite the crime he committed. He was cold-hearted, no doubt, but he wasn't completely heartless. He was able to decide to either act cruel or considerate and it all depends on if he chose to be 'cold-hearted' or not.

"I gotta hand it to you, Orochimaru…" I smirked to myself. "Conversing with you like this… it makes me think twice of you…"

Orochimaru returned my smirk with his own. After a moment later of bandaging up Kabuto, the snake respectfully took his leave until he halted his footsteps. I cocked an eyebrow curiously as I watched him rummaging in his pouch, searching for something.

"I almost forgot…" He commented amusingly, pulling out a medium-sized jar then he held it out to me.

"What is it?" I asked in confusion, taking the jar off of his hands.

"Chakra pills. I recently got them done…" He answered proudly. "When consumed, it increases the amount of chakra up to about eighty-five to ninety percent."

My lips parted in awe as I scanned all angles of the pills inside the glass container.

"And you're giving me this batch because…?" I paused, waiting for him to complete my sentence.

"Think of it as a gift." He simply hinted with a smile, earning a surprised look on my face. "If I remembered correctly, your birthday was yesterday but you were out with Kabuto so I wasn't able to grant you a happy birthday. I figured this is a suitable enough gift for someone like you…"

I was very mute after hearing his explanation. I was in disbelief that someone like Orochimaru could act in a way that was… normal as in kind. There were times where he would give credit where credit was due, but he never gave anyone a gift let alone a birthday gift.

"Now that everything is done here, I should be getting back to work now…" He sighed in accomplishment. "Meanwhile, you should be heading out for your mission, Katsumi. I expect you to be back later today…"

"Uh, yeah sure…" I nodded blankly, dismissing what he said since my mind was still wrapping around the fact that the snake gave me a decent present.

Orochimaru was near the doorway of the room when I broke my train of thought to say one last thing before he left.

"Thank you, Orochimaru…" I concluded gratefully, topping it off with a small smile.

Orochimaru gave me his signature smirk, appreciating that I was grateful for his rare kindness. However he said nothing and with that, he exited the room leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sighed in relief, wondering how in the hell I got through what had happened before we entered this room. If it weren't for Orochimaru, either Kabuto or I would've been killed by Sasuke. Apparently, the snake did carry a bit of sanity within him—he just chose when he felt he should show it. I was probably the first person to see this side of him, and after experiencing his nice side, I had gained a bit of new respect for him. Never judge a book by its cover, huh? I should keep that in mind just in case I decided to hate another person for the bad deeds they had done.

What I had also learned from the Sanin was that he genuinely cared for Kabuto. He secretly did wanted to help him find himself and find his purpose in life. The grey haired male gave off the feeling that he enjoyed being a subordinate for someone else was who he was meant to be and Orochimaru thought that made him happy so he thought nothing of it. He gave orders and tasks for the bookworm to do because he thought that was what made him happy, but instead it was something meant to keep him busy. Because of this, he felt as though he failed Kabuto. But now that he had me, the snake strongly believed that I was his only happiness and for the boy's sake, he gave me his blessing to take care and love Kabuto.

I turned my attention over to the male who still laid on the bed unconscious with bandages covering most of his torso. I slid over towards him and gently placed a hand on his warm cheek as I carefully placed the jar of pills inside my weapon pouch. I gazed down at the peaceful sleeping boy with a small smile on my face.

"I'm sorry for putting you through that, Kabuto…" I breathed apologetically, light caressing his cheek. "I know how much you want to prove yourself to Sasuke for me, but I feel that if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have end up like this."

"You've proven yourself more than should, Kabuto. But I've done nothing to do the same…" I continued disappointedly. "That will change. It's my turn to prove my faithfulness to you."

With that, I placed a kiss on his forehead and quietly fleeing the room. I shut the door behind me and escaped to my bedroom to get ready for my mission. Once I came back, the first thing I swore myself to do was to express myself more to the man who went far and beyond for me.

* * *

 **Finally done the chapter. Next chapter it's gonna be good because she'll be crashing with a few people. Let's see if you guys can guess.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Before we get started, I wanna say that I'm super-duper sorry for posting after over two months of nothing. School's got me worked up to the max, and also, I have started writing other stories to post in the future. However, I promised myself to not post them until I at least finish this one. If you guys are desperate to get a few hints about them, message me and I'll tell you beautiful people as much as I can.**

 **With that said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Reunion Long Overdue**

"Hey, Karin! You in there!?" I shouted as I banged the large wooden door for the redhead.

It took literally hours to travel to the Southern Hideout where Karin was currently working in, so I was very tired and expected a full relaxation the moment I walked in. However, the four-eyed female wasn't answering the damn door and I was getting really irritated.

"Karin, open the f**kin' door already before I break it down myself!" I warned in annoyance, focusing my chakra just in case she decided to go through things the hard way.

After hearing my threat, the hotheaded female finally opened the large door. However, she didn't open it enough for me to enter; she just opened it just enough for her to peek to see who it was though she had a good idea who was behind the door. The look on her face gave off the feeling that she didn't really appreciate me banging the door like an impatient a**hole while shouting just so I could get in. I couldn't blame her: it could attract unwanted visitors and whatnot.

"Happy to see me?" I snickered sarcastically, earning a cold glare from the female.

"Barely!" She snapped exasperatedly. "What the f**k are you doing, shouting and knocking like that!? You can attract enemies here!"

"Quit b***hing…" I dismissed playfully. "It's been a while, seeing my wonderful redhead. I couldn't help but be excited to see you on my mission."

Karin rolled her eyes as she adjusted her glasses.

"Besides, I figured you already know why I'm here in the first place…" I remarked plainly then placed a pout. "Now let me in, will you?"

"Whatever…" She grunted in defeat as she turned her heel and walked deeper into the lair, signalling for me to follow.

Without hesitation, I walked into the giant structure and made sure to close the door behind before I followed Karin's tail. We walked through the dark, damp hallways for a long moment until we reached one particular door. She pulled out the key ring filled with keys for the entire hideout and chose one near the middle of the bunch. With one turn, the door was unlocked and I helped myself in opening the door and walking into a bare room where there were only dark couches, a coffee table, and a file cabinet located at the far corner of the room. I plopped on one of the couches while Karin made her way towards said cabinet. With another key, she opened the cabinet and for a few seconds, she went through a few files as she picked up one every two or three documents requested by Orochimaru. Once she was done searching, she slammed the drawer shut without locking it securely just in case she needed to come back to retrieve more files without the hassle in unlocking it again. She sat down on the couch beside me and laid out all the documents she obtained, allowing me to read the labels and the information in them.

"So how's it going lately?" I asked her conversationally, looking up from reading a list of data in my hands.

"Nothing much." She answered simply, keeping her eyes on the classified papers. "Same old same old in this dark hole…"

I nodded, satisfied with her answer then I continued reading the files until she decided to pull out a question of her own.

"How about you?" She questioned curiously as she eyed me expectedly.

"Um, nothing new, I guess…" I replied unsurely, shrugging the question off.

Karin huffed at my words then she clarified, "I mean… how's it going with you and _Kabuto_?"

I merely blinked at her, trying to find words so that my answer wouldn't confuse her. Karin was aware of my relationship with Kabuto for a while. Kabuto and I were here not too long ago, recruiting prisoners for Orochimaru twisted experiments and because we both forgot that the redhead was a formidable and powerful sensory ninja, she was able to detect the feeling of affection and admiration our chakra was giving off. Of course, the bookworm didn't know that she knew about us, but she hinted to me that she was on to us and I couldn't lie because she could sniff my bluffing from a mile away. Long story short, Karin swore that she wouldn't tell a soul to anyone—even Sasuke and Orochimaru—because we both understood as females that we all needed a strong male figure in our lives at one point. She also told me that I had to be the "maid of honour" of her and Sasuke's "wedding" and their "wedding planner" to which I agreed because any idiot person knew that would never happened in a million years.

Though we weren't close like "best friends", I believed that Karin could keep a secret like this mostly because she knew that my brother—the guy she obviously had the hots for—would eventually get involved and possibly feel the wrath of the snake; simply she wanted to "protect him" in a way.

"He's battered and bruised badly…" I simply replied, slumping against the couch comfortably.

"Why? What happened to him?" She asked curiously; I was taken back by her sudden concern for the male.

"Sasuke found out about our relationship and long story short, his 'big brother instincts' kicked in…" I answered dryly. "He wanted to see how much I meant to him so he challenged Kabuto to fight until one of them dies."

"Then… what happened?" She asked intriguingly.

"Sasuke was a second away from killing Kabuto if it weren't for Orochimaru coming in to stop him at the last second." I answered tediously, resting my head on my linked hands behind it. "Sasuke was pissed off and walked away without saying another word to any of us. At the time, Kabuto's state was severe because he had a punctured artery."

"What was Sasuke thinking at the time?" She inquired softly.

I shrugged at her. "Not sure. We haven't been speaking to each other before this mess took place and all that mess did was cause my brother to move further and further away from me to the point where we don't act like siblings. I was close to getting over it but the fact that he had the intention to kill the one person I cared the most just to prove his point really stung." I explained as I kept my emotions in tact in front of the female next to me.

"Maybe he's worried that you're replacing him with Kabuto…" She purposed assumingly.

"Don't you think I already know that?" I scoffed in annoyance. "Even if that's true, he only has himself to blame for that…"

"Maybe he needs an eye-opener…" She suggested thoughtfully. "You know, a situation where he's forced to realize his faults with your sibling relationship and the importance of you as a sister. He needs to get out of his narrow-minded perspective and understand that as your older brother, you're his first priority…"

"I doubt that'll happen. It's not like we could pop out circumstances out of our asses and make him 'realize' that he's the culprit of everything that's been going on." I responded skeptically as I rested my eyes. "And it's not like we can just put him under a genjutsu where he's hypnotized into thinking that he's the one at fault since he can easily see through it and release it with his Sharingan…"

"You may not know, Katsumi…" Karin sighed in relaxation. "Anything can happen to any of us, and it happens for a reason…"

"Again, I doubt that." I huffed in response. "My day-to-day life is the same and boring like always. The chances of 'something happening' is almost slim to none, in my case at least…"

"Sure, why don't you disagree and shut down every single thing I say because it's 'irrelevant'!"

"My bad, Karin." I apologized lazily. "Force of habit…"

"Besides, things actually can happen from the luckiest to the unluckiest of people…" She added begrudgingly.

I rolled my eyes at the redhead's spiritual beliefs as I breathed out deeply.

"So what's Lord Orochimaru's reaction to your relationship?" She then asked.

"Miraculously, he was cool with it. In fact, he said that he didn't really paid that much attention to it as it went on because it immediately lost his interest." I answered with a cocky smile. "Since our relationship wasn't getting in the way of his goals nor it would benefit him if he pulled any strings on it, he gave me his blessing…"

I left out the part where Orochimaru revealed that he genuinely cared for Kabuto because that would make every subordinate under him think that he was weak and take advantage of it.

"Damn, you must be really special in Kabuto's eyes…" Karin mused deeply. "For as long as I've known him, he was never as considerate and less creepy as he is right now. And it's all because of you…"

I lifted my eyelids to eye the female sitting next to me.

"I wouldn't say that it was _all_ because of me; a factor of it maybe…" I simply critiqued.

"Yeah, but he's been a bit more sensitive and humane since he started falling for you." She beamed lightly. "You're his special something…"

I couldn't help but return her joy with a small smile myself. I knew she was only saying this because she was thinking about Sasuke again.

"I wish someday I'LL be _Sasuke's_ special something too!" She exclaimed wishfully, squealing like an average fangirl.

"I hope things work out between you and Sasuke. He'll come around _eventually_ …" I acknowledged sweetly, stressing the last word in emphasis.

I knew that was a lie, but I didn't want to be the a**whole breaking the news to her; it was better to keep her happy so that she supported Team Katsumi all the way. Then, the sudden thought of Kabuto risking his life to prove that his faithfulness to my brother and I caused my face to fall to a gloomy one.

"What's the matter with you?" She questioned in confusion, noticing my sudden gloominess.

"Kabuto…" I responded lowly. "He proved that he genuinely cares about me and how much I mean to him… but I haven't done _anything_ to prove any of that…"

"Don't stress yourself about it." Karin simply waved off, earning a questioning look from me. "Guys are the easiest to impress; the smallest things are good enough for them. So small gestures will do the trick… like—"

"I'm not having sex with him if that's what you're implying!" I cut in sharply, slightly blushing at the thought.

"Why not?" She frowned. "I can tell under those ugly glasses and baggy clothes, he has a body most girls would die for and your petite figure is one of your sexiest assets you have. Considering those circumstances, I'm surprised that you guys haven't jumped on each other yet."

"First of all, you're only saying this because you know just as much as I do that the second you and Sasuke 'get together', you wanna bang him harder than I did on the front door of this place a moment ago." I countered in a hissing tone, then I lowered my gaze as I continued in a weaker tone. "Second of all, I want our first time to be special. I want it to mean something about the connection… the chemistry we have…"

"That's stuff is cliché…" She commented in a sigh, unimpressed. "But I guess I understand where you're coming from…"

I huffed loudly at the girl's state of mind. "I wonder if that sensory jutsu of yours is a blessing or a curse for others."

"On the other hand, he's like what… twenty-one, twenty-two? Guys around that age are horny as hell and would do anything to get laid." She added hypothetically, completely dismissing my comment.

I rolled my eyes at her logic. "That's a f**kin' stereotype, Karin. Any guy at any age after puberty can obtain a sexual attraction and desire for others."

Karin stayed quiet as she listened to my explanation.

"Plus, Kabuto is not like that at all. Though his attraction for me is strong, he respects my boundaries and he refuses to take things to the next level unless if I'm comfortable. My wellbeing is his number one priority…" I proceeded confidently, certain with every word coming out of my mouth.

"Not even a hand-job?" She hesitantly offered with hope.

"KARIN!"

"Okay, okay! Geez…" She huffed defensively, slumping on the couch next to me.

We sat there for a long period of time, having gone through our personal thoughts in silence until Karin decided to break the awkward silence in the room.

"How about giving him a meaningful gift?" She suggested genuinely, finally taking the matter seriously.

"Like what?"

"Something that shows him that you know him more than anyone else…" She clarified briefly. "You know… to show how much you care about him and accept him for who he is."

I took her idea to consideration; she did make a point. For now, I would keep that on mind for the future.

"I'll think about it…" I assured truthfully.

Karin nodded as she gave me a rare, friendly look. It was true, we weren't close friends and definitely not best friends but we were—nonetheless—friends. Despite the fact that she could be the more unbearable, annoying, and even nasty most of the time, I still respected her for her abilities and her as a person.

"Listen…" I spoke up with a grin, earning the girl's attention. "As much as I want to hang around for a little bit, I still have a mission to complete."

It took a few seconds for Karin to process my words. And when she finally realized what I just said, she slapped her forehead for being an idiot.

"Sorry about that." She quickly replied as she hastily gathered all of the papers. "Just let me seal this in an envelope to keep the documents safe. This is classified information and Lord Orochimaru will have our heads if it gets in the wrong hands."

"Ugh, you sound like Kabuto…" I gagged playfully.

Karin merely gave me a dirty look as she tossed the large envelope towards me. I easily caught and hopped onto my feet with a cocky grin, earning a nasty look from the redhead; she didn't like the fact that her attempt to hurt me failed miserably. That mere thought made me smile grew bigger while her glare at me grew nastier.

"Thank you, friend!" I chirped then I started skipping my way towards the door and down the hallway. "I shall take my leave now."

"Good to hear!" She snapped in exasperation, following behind me. "I wanted you to get the f**k out of here from the start!"

I waited patiently for Karin to graciously open the front door for me. With another smile I skipped out of the lair as the redhead stood at the doorway, watching me skipping away from the place. As I happily travelled towards the large water surface in front of me, I waved my hand as a gesture of farewell to Karin to which she responded with a wave back though I didn't see it but I could feel it. Once my distance was farther away from the hideout, I heard the large door slammed shut from the place. I then went ahead to run as fast as I could on the water surface with the envelope placed safely and securely in my weapon pouch.

After an hour and a half, I reached towards familiar land and I continued to run with intense speed towards the hideout I currently resided in. I attempted to make a full-on stop which resulted in me skimming a short distance until my feet finally made a complete stop. I let out a sigh then glanced up at the sky. I estimated that it was about 5 in the afternoon which I was kind of surprised that my mission was completed that easily, that quickly. Orochimaru did mention that it wasn't too difficult but it wasn't a walk in the park either, which was basically his reason why he sent only me. Plus, he knew that I hadn't went on a solo mission for a long time and he didn't want me to feel rusty. I let out a scoff, thinking about how considerate the rogue ninja was by the smallest of gestures. Since I was currently not too far away from the hideout, I saw no point in rushing to get back; I wanted to enjoy the fresh air Mother Nature had to offer. So for the rest of the trip, I decided to walk the rest of the way home. As I did so while keeping my guard up but also enjoying this moment of peace and quiet, something above me caught my attention. As I halted my step, I sharpened my gaze to see what was exactly above me. I was stunned to see a graceful, small dove flying above my head. Once it caught its attention towards me, it landed on a high tree branch as it never left its eyes off of me. I raised my eyebrow as it examined me by tilting its head left and then right for a few times, thinking this was a bit off pudding.

Firstly, doves were rare especially around this region never mind wild doves. Secondly, this couldn't be one of my summons—since my summoning contract was with doves—and I don't recall summoning one recent. Even if I did, they should've been sent back to their world one their job had been done. Thirdly, let's say my first two observations were false, why did it seemed as though the dove was _expecting_ me. It was unusual for the most part for a dove staying in a specific area like this because doves usual embraced their freedom. However this one seemed to be on some sort of duty.

In that case, does this mean that someone was trying to mess with me? Were they trying to lure me into some sort of trap?

Cautiously, I activated my Sharingan and examined my surroundings and the greater area for any mischief in the radar. Maybe if some sort of genjutsu was casted to brainwash me. But I came out with nothing; there was no other chakra sources nearby besides mine. Plus, my charka didn't seemed disturbed in anyway, meaning there was no genjutsu anywhere near me. I sighed in relief, but the worry of getting ambushed heightened my guard and senses. After having a brief staring contest with the dove resting above, I walked off. I tried my hardest to shake off the fact that the dove's gaze followed me until I was far away for the bird to see me.

"Creeper…" I grunted underneath my breath, relaxing my body from that "intense" encounter.

I continued to walk through the woods, minding my own business, until another thing caught my eyes. This time, it was located on the ground. It took me only a second for me to recognize it was a garden of medical herbs. Not just any herbs, but they were the specific ones I recalled Kabuto complaining about because they ran out.

" _Lord Orochimaru will kill me if I don't get this antidote done in time, but I'm all out…"_ Those exact words from the male repeated in the depths of my mind.

Today I was feeling extra nice, so I thought that I should take a bunch of these herbs back to our hideout and give them to Kabuto. That was the least I could do, plus it was convenient enough. However, I was still on a mission and Orochimaru wanted the documents of his experiments as soon as possible. But knowing me, I had my ways in completing tasks. I took out an empty scroll from my weapon pouch along with the large envelope containing those documents. I used a sealing jutsu and sealed the classified items in the scroll. After closing it and tying it securely, I bit my thumb hard enough to draw blood out of it then performed the exact hand signs for the Summoning Jutsu. I slammed my hand on the soft earth and with a puff a smoke, there stood there strongly was one of my most loyal dove summoning, Hana. She was much larger than most average-sized dove and bird, but she still had a cute shape that suited her personality really well.

"Long time, no see, Katsumi…" Her elegant voice acknowledged.

"Nice to see you to, Hana…" I smiled friendly. "Sorry to summon you on short notice…"

"Not a problem." She dismissed kindly. "It gives me an excuse to see an old friend…"

"Same goes for me." I nodded.

"So, what can I do for you?" She asked straight-forwardly.

"I want you to give this scroll to Orochimaru." I answered flatly, holding out said scroll. "He's located at his hideout. The one about six miles from here. Think you can do that?"

"Leave it to me, Katsumi." She assured confidently.

With an appreciating smile, I carefully attached the scroll on Hana's back.

"That should do the trick."

"But why ask me to hand the scroll to Orochimaru when you're more than capable to do it yourself?" Hana asked me curiously, looking up at me innocently.

"I have a few errands to attend to and I wouldn't be able to hand the secret documents before the deadline." I simply answered.

"If you say so…" My precious dove sighed. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be just fine, Hana." I assured soothingly, placing a gentle smile on my face.

"Right!" She chirped and flapped her wings rapidly, lifting off from the ground.

I watched Hana as she flew higher and higher then soared through the blue sky until I could no longer see her with my naked eyes. I subconsciously turned around and started gathering up as much medicinal herbs as I could to surprise my partner. The small anticipation of that thought made me smile at nothing like a complete idiot. Until an invisible presence that seemed to be lurking near the area broke my train of thought. I contained myself so that whoever it was, they wouldn't see that they were making me feel tense and scared though I slightly was. Reason being was because this presence wasn't familiar to me yet the feeling I was receiving was so memorable, I carried it on with me without even realizing until now. Who was this person? What did they want from me?

I winced when I sensed their chakra moving closer and closer towards me, meaning they were intended to encounter me. As they moved in, I prevented myself from widening my eyes and my jaw dropping to the ground when I realized exactly who it was. And too be honest, I expected this to happen at some point in time.

Apparently, Karin was right: anything _could_ happen and they happened for a reason. She was also right about things happening to the luckiest and unluckiest of people. I guessed that made me the unluckiest person of the planet for coming face-to-face with the one person who was the only one to make my skin crawl. I replaced my shocked face with a cocky smirk and then I swiftly took out kunai. I skillfully threw it over my shoulder, directly at the intended target. But considering who I was dealing with, a surprise like that was child's play.

"You're sensing abilities have improved, I see…" The stoic, expressionless voice commented blankly. "And your aim at your blind spot is perfect, if I hadn't dodged…"

Just hearing the man's voice was so surreal. It had been three years since I last saw him, and it was then I was sent to the hospital because of my injuries inflicted by him. Him being here of all places where I was probably most vulnerable made me both anxious and overwhelmed. But surprisingly, I wasn't scared. In fact, I was glad to see him. I mean, it wasn't like me to miss a family reunion.

"When was the last time you've acknowledged me for my skills?" I asked myself mockingly aloud, lifting myself slowly off the ground. "Are you growing soft as you grow old?"

I then heard footsteps coming even closer to the small clearing of the forest where I was currently standing on. I slowly side-glanced over my shoulder at the man I dreaded to see ever since I was a child. The same man who basically raised and trained me. The same man who literally f**ked everything up. The burning feeling in my chest from the mere thought and sight of him activated my Sharingan without my knowledge. Once he finally removed himself from the shadows, the oh-so familiar cloak and the scratched Leaf headband were the first things that caught my eyes. The last thing I glued my eyes on was the blank, emotionless, stoic look of my eldest sibling's face. His pale face was only the few things in my mind that I carried an image of.

"Why so tense you feel the need to activate your visual prowess?" The older raven asked rhetorically, his face unchanged.

"It doesn't hurt to keep your guard up, especially when you're dealing with the likes of you…" I replied darkly, my crimson eyes looking at his which were identical to mine. "Besides, showing your face to me at a time and place like this is quite unlike you, don't you say? Can you blame me for being cautious, Itachi?"

"I'm not here to fight you, Katsumi…" He claimed expressionlessly.

I scoffed at him. "Then why the hell are you here, in the first place? Why encounter me on your own willingly for no reason? Knowing you, you don't act unless there's a reason behind it—whether it be good or not." I commented accusingly, narrowing my eyes at him.

"You're wrong." He argued dryly. "I have a reason why I approached you…"

Hearing from Itachi that he indeed had a reason for "meeting" with me made me eye at him skeptically, however I did offer the man my ears so I could at least know his purpose at the moment.

"What is it then?" I questioned him hardly, rooting my feet on the ground readily.

After a moment of silence between us, the raven parted his lips to speak.

"You're aware about the Akatsuki?"

"Yeah, I know about that group of yours…" I nodded at his assumption, keeping my guard up. "And I happen to not give a damn about you guys either."

"And you're also aware about the death of Sasori of the Red Sand?" He then presumed nonchalantly.

I recalled Kabuto telling me about Sasori's death and that Sakura and his grandmother, Chiyo, were the ones who successfully killed him. Mentioning him of all things seemed off to me. Despite him being a mere ally to my brother and the organization, why does it concern Itachi right now? And what does it have to do with anything?

"What's your point, Itachi?" I inquired impatiently. "What are you getting at? What does the _Akatsuki_ have anything to do with me?"

"Sasori was the only member of the Akatsuki who was capable of basic medical treatment and the only person who excelled in antidotes and medication." He briefed flatly. "Since his decease, our men have been injured greatly and our medication supply is close to zero. We are in need of a professional medic ninja…"

"So, you're basically telling me that you heartless beings need me to treat your 'men' and make more antidotes, right?" I hypothesized dully.

Itachi merely blinked at my assumption, which meant yes if translated.

"I'm under Orochimaru, which makes you and the Akatsuki my mortal enemies." I remarked coldly. "Yet you expect me to _help_ you low-lives?"

I was baffled that Itachi of all people expect me to help him and his gang after everything he and the others did to me and my loved ones.

"You don't have the option to decline, Katsumi." He warned lowly. "This is an order by the Akatsuki's leader; you must do it."

"I don't give a f**k about your leader!" I snapped in annoyance. "You or your gang can't tell me what to do; I do whatever I want to do. And what I want right now is for you get the hell out of my face!"

Itachi didn't move or even flinched at my retort. He only raised a thin eyebrow, seemingly not comprehending something.

"You don't have the desire to kill me?" He suddenly asked. "You only wish for me to disappear?"

It took me about a minute of silence for me to finally understand what he meant. I sighed heavily as I folded my arms at him.

"No, I don't have the desire to kill you'." I clarified in bore.

The blank stare of Itachi was trying to urge me to explain myself and where I stood between the two of us to which I sighed even heavier.

"What you did was f**ked up all the way, from killing our entire family to attempting to kidnap my best friend. Personally, I wish you suffer before your trip down to hell…" I explained begrudgingly. "However, I've opened my eyes and my reality isn't to someday kill a cold-hearted murderer. You're not worth my time nor my smallest attention so I've moved on and focused on making myself stronger mentally and physically."

Though I didn't see it from where I was standing, I felt my brother's microscopic smile stretch lightly on his pale lips. I frowned upon this because for one, Itachi Uchiha rarely smiled. Two there was nothing funny about what I had just said.

"Like I presumed… your perception and mentality differs from Sasuke…" He remarked softly, resting his eyes. "You're more in-depth than he is…"

"As if I give a s**t about what you think about Sasuke and I." I retorted, rolling my eyes at him. "Sasuke has his own things to deal with and I have mine."

"He's getting stronger like he promised?" The raven asked curiously though his tone sounded bored.

"That's for me to know and you to find out when you fight him." I hinted coldly, refusing to give away anything.

"Hn." He simply grunted, unfazed by my cold demeanor.

"And as for that request from your Akatsuki leader: my answer to him is _no_." I finalized sternly.

"Likewise, I was ordered to find and bring you to our hideout… even by force if need be." He briefed lowly, opening his eyes slowly revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan. "Act stubborn any longer, I would have to take you in against your will."

"Huh, you honestly believed I'm the same little girl you faced three years ago." I scoffed smugly. "If you insist in fighting me, then let me show just how much _I've_ improved… big brother…"

Said brother merely smirked lightly at my statement, rooting his feet to the ground readily.

"So, you want to kill me after all." He implied.

"Hmph." I brushed his 'humorous' comment off my shoulder as I too was in a fighting position, ready for almost anything he could or would throw at me.

We stared hardly at each other with our Sharingan blazing strongly with determination and the need of dominance. This battle had to be quick because though Orochimaru would have the scroll in time, he would have no clue of my whereabouts and in this case, circumstances. Hopefully, Hana didn't sense my brother and if she did, I prayed she would keep to herself from anyone in the hideout and trusted me to get the work done. I recalled telling Kabuto that if the opportunity was present, I would kill Itachi myself and make things a bit easier in my life. Now that he was standing in front of me, I started doubting if I even wanted to kill him. Not because I had any sort of pity for the man—he could go f**k himself in hell for all I cared—but because that made everything I said to and about Sasuke pointless and hypocritical. Not to mention, me claiming that I had accepted the events and moved on would seem ludicrous to everyone around me, especially Itachi. Besides, I didn't want to fight him because it would waste chakra and energy, and it could cause old feelings and thoughts to resurface again. But at this point, I had no choice: the raven wouldn't leave me alone unless I took him down and I wasn't in the mood to enter in a hideout I wasn't familiar of.

Out of everyone I had met in my life, my eldest brother was the one who knew me the most in which he could use that knowledge to defeat me. He also knew that I was very different in approaching a situation like this, compared to Sasuke. He knew that it wasn't my desire to kill him; I simply wanted to get past him and death was probably the cost of that. I wasn't necessarily scared nor intimidated by my brother; my main concern was getting back to Orochimaru's lair as soon as possible before he, Kabuto, Sasuke, or anyone in there grew suspicious. And I knew for a fact that they wouldn't be too pleased if they figured out that the reason for my absence was fighting infamous Itachi Uchiha.

I winced in shock as I pulled myself from my thoughts when I sensed a huge chakra source in my radar. Not only that, it was rushing directly towards me. Without looking who the attacker was, I jumped a far height using a bit of my chakra. While I was in the air, I flipped myself upside-down to see just who it was that tried to kill me from behind. My eyes widened incredulously when I immediately recognized the identity of the attacker. It was Itachi's walking tuna roll of a partner, Kisame Hoshigaki. F**kin' Karin was right: I jinxed myself and now I was paying the price for it. At the last minute, I released I was still in the air and because gravity was a b***h, I wouldn't be flying in the sky for very long unless I do something about it. With that, I quickly wielded a few hand signs.

"Ninja Art: Zero Gravitation!" I summoned mentally, releasing my chakra to activate the jutsu.

This was one of the jutsu Orochimaru found. Though it wasn't classified as "forbidden", it was still recommended for shinobi to not use it due to its high precision in chakra control and its difficulty in controlling. However, I wasn't just a mere shinobi. This jutsu took less than a week for me to perfect it and once I did, I used it often since it complimented with my Wind Style jutsu. Basically, this jutsu removed the gravity that's applied on the caster, resulting them to float in the air. When the person perfects it, they could fly limitlessly in the sky with such speed and use this as an advantage in battle. This was basically why I activated this jutsu right now: to distance myself from my opponents who remained on the ground staring up at me carefully. I glared exasperatedly at the Shark Skin swordsman, pissed off that he made the problem even bigger than it already was to which he grinned wickedly at me back.

"Well, would you look at that?" I overheard the blue man mused in entertainment. "Your cute little sister learned how to fly… how precious is that?"

"Well, I'm about to be real _adorable_ when I turn you into lunch!" I retorted defensively.

"Kisame, don't rile her up." Itachi softly warned, looking blankly up at me. "It'll be difficult to put her down if she's provoked."

"Don't worry, Itachi. I learned my lesson the last time I underestimated the girl when she insisted in fighting you. Though she didn't win, she's headstrong and her spirit is hard to break like a diamond." He replied lowly, assuring his comrade as he adjusted his grip on his large sword. "If anything, I'm curious and excited to see how much stronger she's gotten after all those years of training under that snake."

"Hn." Itachi responded nonchalantly, closing his eyes.

Now I was having second thoughts about this. The weasel himself was already a handful to fight with but now he had brought his alive, afternoon snack with him. This was out of the question. Unfortunately, I couldn't just say, "Y'know what? F**k this, and f**k you guys! Two against one? You're so funny!" and run away as fast as I could. But I couldn't because they could easily find and capture me without breaking a sweat because they were f**kin' Akatsuki. Although, I wasn't certain if Kisame would actually assist Itachi since there was the possibility of him simply letting the raven to deal with it while he watched the entire thing. That or said raven would order the walking aquarium to stay back. I hoped that was the case since I wasn't informed his exact abilities and jutsu he possessed.

I knew Itachi very well, maybe even more than anyone else. That was why I wasn't too afraid of facing him off because I knew his strengths weaknesses, skills, and almost all of his jutsu. With that knowledge, I could use it against him to help me prevail. Frankly, there was a drawback and that drawback was that he too knew me very well and my capabilities. He was the one who trained me long ago, so he knew what I was good and bad at. Plus, he had the Mangekyō Sharingan while I had the regular Sharingan so my genjutsu would make him laugh compared to his. Everything he could do was better than what I could do, including taijutsu, ninjutsu, and especially genjutsu. But I still had a chance. The one thing I had that Itachi doesn't was creativity; I just had to be creative with my attacks so I could at least gain the upper hand. That was, if his blue friend minded his own damn business and swam with his friends in the water.

"Kisame, I'll handle Kasumi." Itachi concluded flatly. "Stay out of it."

Said male glanced at his partner with a disturbed, confused look on his face. Apparently, he didn't take the raven's words to kindly.

"Are you sure, Itachi?" He replied warningly, looking at him with concern. "What about your eyes? You know it's dangerous if you overuse them. Do I have to keep reminding you?"

I raised an eyebrow at the two conversing. What about Itachi's eyes? I knew that using the Mangekyō Sharingan could be risky, but because I was too occupied with other stuff, I hadn't had the time to thoroughly research about it. Plus, the information hidden in Nakano Shrine wasn't in depth nor clear about the history of our bloodline technique. Cut back to now, if the risks associated with the Mangekyō Sharingan were that great, I could use that to my advantage.

"Don't worry about me." Itachi assured emotionlessly, pulling out a bunch of kunai knives from his long baggy sleeves. "I'm more than capable to fight without my eyes."

He was correct, he could fight just fine without the Sharingan. But it begged the question if he could win against me without it. On a bias viewpoint, I would say no.

"Whatever is going on with your eyes, it's a good thing for me." I proclaimed in triumph. "I always wanted to kick your ass, and today is possibly my lucky day."

I don't know if it was real or not, but I could've sworn Itachi gave me a "challenge accepted" smile. It was somewhat refreshing because it was the same look he gave me when he trained me as a child. He would always gave me impossible training methods and techniques that even jonin had trouble completing. But I was so determined to someday be stronger than he was, I worked my ass off to someday make that dream a reality. The thought of my time with Itachi helped my tensed body relax and calm. Now I was surer than ever before to beat Itachi. I was more certain that I was going to prove to my older brother that I was no longer than little girl he once took pity of.

"Prepare yourself, big brother!" I chirped confidently, making a tiger seal with my hands to focus my chakra.

 _'Itachi Uchiha. Though I highly praised and respected you as a powerful ninja, you hadn't dealt with the most skilled, superior, intellectual, and most powerful kunoichi yet. Just because I was your little sister, it doesn't mean I stood in your shadow. I would finally show you that all this time, you were standing in my shadow.'_

* * *

 **And that concludes Chapter 25. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. I didn't want you guys to get the feeling that I forgot about my readers or my story. My love for storytelling is very strong no matter how busy I am. I'll try my best to post the next chapter as soon as possible. Thanks again for being super patience, everyone!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry for the long wait, you guys. I've been falling behind and there were a few things to the story that I needed to fix before typing it. Plus, I absolutely suck at combat/fighting bits so if you're hella confused as you read, I warned you. Luckily, I was able to complete this chapter before the school started. Yeah, I think I mentioned about posting more now that school's out. BOY, WAS I WRONG!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Shadow within a Shadow**

Itachi pulled the first move by throwing the kunai that were in his hands within his black sleeves. I skillfully dived through the air towards him as I easily dodged the barrage of kunai. As I laid my eyes on him, I saw a smirk on his pale face. I frowned upon this until I gasped in realization that I was still in trouble. I briefly looked over my shoulder to see the barrage of kunai that were thrown by the raven were soaring right behind me. I tried to avoid them by making a harsh turn, but they still continued to follow suit. It was then I realized it wasn't just a mere barrage of kunai knives.

' _Itachi's Shuriken Jutsu!'_ I disclosed in thought as I briefly looked over my shoulder at said weapons. _'He can hit the target perfectly even at his blind spot. That said, I wouldn't be able to just dodge.'_

I gracefully spun around to face the metal blades as I continued to glide through the air but backwards. I wielded a couple of hand signs then I took a huge deep breath in as the visible air was seen being captured and stored within my chest.

' _Wind style: Violent Whirlwind!'_ I called forth my jutsu as I blew out a strong, severe stream of wind through my lips.

This caused the kunai barrage to slow down its speed. I then took advantage of the wind in the sky to strengthen my jutsu to the point where the kunai were now flying directly towards the thrower. He hopped to a safe distance a second before the kunai planted themselves firmly on the earth's surface. I wasn't done yet. I then moved rapidly down to Itachi as I continued with my Whirlwind Jutsu.

"I see. So that's her game…" I heard Kisame commented, sounding impressed. "She's using the natural air and wind from the sky to not only make her jutsu stronger, but also allow her to use less of her chakra. That's why she positioned herself so high. Not bad for a kid…"

I smirked at his compliment, as it gave me motivation to move even faster as I made the stream of wind blow ever harder at Itachi. I sensed the raven focusing his chakra to the bottoms of his feet. It wasn't until a few seconds later when the gust of strong wind harshly blew on him as his Akatsuki robe shook widely. Though his face didn't look fazed, I could tell he was struggling to prevent himself from being swept off of his feet by my jutsu. As he was distracted by this, I swiftly pulled out my signature claw blades and used my wind chakra to finely sharpen the claws. At the last moment, the stoic male realized what I was trying to do and instantly pulled out a kunai. And just like that, our blades clashed loudly as the sparks could be seen from where Kisame stood. The metal blades grinded hardly against each other as we battled to gain dominance over the other. I was now standing on the ground once again with my brother as our weapon of choice were still stuck to one another. I looked up into his eyes to see if there was any emotion he had within him or if he carried any sort of regret. When I was little, I was able to interpret what my older brother thought or felt through his eyes since we had gotten very close by him training me. I wanted to see if I carried that capability because knowing him like that made me feel special in a way.

But before I could disclose his emotions, Itachi attempted to throw a punch to my face. I easily ducked his swing as I lifted my leg up to high kick him. He blocked my attack and grabbed my ankle. With this grip, he effortlessly lifted me off of my feet, hanging me upside-down. In an attempt to free myself, I swung my bladed claws in which he dodged. I used the leg that was free to bring it down to the top of his head. Noticing this, he used his free arm to block my kick. Because of the amount of strength in my kick, he released my ankle and I performed a few backflips away from the man. Once I was in a crouching position, Itachi wielded a few hand signs then he took a deep breath in as he brought his thumb and two fingers to his lips. The next thing I knew, a huge ball of fire was seen coming out of the male's lips as it moved intendedly towards me.

It wouldn't be smart to use my Wind Style to deflect or stop the Fireball because wind was vulnerable to fire; I would just make his attack stronger. But I also didn't have time to think of a better plan until one hit me. Then, it hit me: my bladed claws could be used in long-range too. With that thought, I held out both arms in which my weapon of choice was being worn and with one button, two toxic smoke bombs—one from each— came shooting out of the little hole located on the width of the weapon's base, past my knuckles and just above the root of the sharp claws. The smoke bombs immediately blew up caused by the reaction with the fire. The smoke bombs eventually extinguished the fireball as it continued to spread across most of the clearing. I didn't bother protecting myself from the poisonous smoke because thanks to Orochimaru's experiments and Kabuto's acts of generosity, I was literally immune to any type of toxic and poison out there. Meanwhile, I watched as Itachi stood there frozen, rummaging in his head for an idea to overcome this predicament. I took this chance to dash through the cloud of poison towards him as I held both of my pair of claws back, cloaked with my chakra.

Sadly, Itachi saw through my attack and blocked it with a mere kunai knife. Once again, we made eye contact with our visual prowess. I knew that he knew taking in oxygen was out of the question for him since the poison fog hadn't completely disappeared yet. The thought of that made my lips curve upwards.

"Out of breath, Itachi?" I mocked assumingly as he eyed me blankly.

"Overly smug, I see…" He simply observed.

Itachi then attempted to throw another punch—which I dodged—and then threw a hard kick in which I blocked with my covered forearms. Due to the immense power of his leg, I slid a short distance back by force as I felt my arms becoming sore. He wasted little time to trespass on my personal space and started using his technical taijutsu on me. Luckily, I was still familiar with his style of fighting and my taijutsu was similar to his. With that advantage, I performed my strongest moves I had in my sleeve as I skillfully dodged his attack. Meanwhile he was doing the same. I could tell as we threw punches and kicks and weapons at each other, our movements became faster and faster while our determination to win grew.

"She's fast…" Kisame commented in awe as he watched from afar. "No wonder Itachi saw so much potential in the kid… she's like a younger version of him."

I consistently swung my sharp weapon at him to which he dodged each and every swing. Itachi jumped back a bit as he made hand seals in one millisecond. I gritted my teeth, immediately knowing his next choice of attack.

" _Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"_ He called forth one of our clan's common jutsu as he blew out small fireballs at me.

I pounced in a nick of time before his jutsu came in contact with me. While in the air, I weaved a few hand signs and took a deep breath in myself.

" _Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"_ I verbally summoned as I blew out a stream of fire closely shaped as a dragon.

Thanks to Mother Nature offering wind in the sky, it made my fire jutsu even stronger than it would've been if I was at ground level. I watched anxiously as it engulfed Itachi's whole body. Because of the wind fuelling my fire jutsu, it took a lot longer for the flames to extinguish themselves. It was only when I landed softly on my feet the flames were erased from existence. I scanned the burnt setting cautiously, trying to locate Itachi. Though my attack wasn't weak or petty, it wasn't enough to take down someone as skilled and intelligent as my older brother. As a precaution, I glanced solidly at his large partner who was now sitting against a tree within the outline of the clearing, watching with amusement. He noticed my eyeing at him and gave me a mocking grin to which I responded by narrowing my eyes at him coldly. I snapped my gaze away from him like a stubborn child not accepting their parents' wishes.

"For a little girl, she's got a lot of skills and talent not many shinobi have. She's possibly the youngest to ever stand to par with Itachi." I overheard him analysing to himself. "However, I highly doubt she will win this fight; Itachi is simply too powerful for anyone… including his sister…"

I continued to examine surroundings, trying to locate Itachi with my Sharingan. But dammit, he hid his chakra so well I was having trouble detecting his movements. In the last second, I heard a slight rustle of grass and before I fully turned around, I felt a hard object jabbing deep into my abdomen. Because of the force, I was sent backwards at such speed until my back abruptly crashed against a tree causing me to hack out blood. I slowly slid down against the tree's stem as I panted deeply with blood streams pouring down my mouth. The second I tried to use my strength to pick myself off of the dirt, I felt something seized my neck harshly and swiftly resulting in me coughing out blood. I subconsciously grabbed onto Itachi's wrist as he used his incredible strength to lift me up against the tree until I was dangling above the ground, wriggling around to free myself from lack of oxygen. I started to wheeze and croak as blood erupted from my mouth, taking into note that my vision started to get blurry and dark. Out of desperation, I grabbed onto Itachi's wrist tightly as my nails dug into his flesh; I tried to use my willpower to force him to free me. But of course—Itachi being the most unnerved man that had walked on the face of the earth—he was unfazed by this attempt as he continued to grip my neck firmly. The need for air was so bad to the point where my legs swung widely as I panted and choked quickly.

"It's no use, Katsumi…" I partially heard Itachi's voice speaking to me nonchalantly, not batting an eyebrow that I was suffocating right in front of him. "You can't fight this battle because no matter what you do, you will always fail…"

Just the thought that not only Itachi didn't give a s**t about me, but he was intentionally suffocating me until he killed me… it really clenched my heart and lungs. I'd thought he had the same mindset as me: estranged siblings who wouldn't attempt to kill one another willingly. But this doesn't apply to this scenario. The feeling of this all caused tears to well up in my eyes; now I had two of my big brothers—my former protectors—as my enemy. They didn't consider me as their own just because my morals were different. It was as if "big brother" was a label they used to carry until they ripped it off themselves.

Itachi then moved me away from the tree and immediately slammed me even harder back against the large plant, leaving me helplessly with blood continuously being spewed out. He intended to use any tactic to make me suffer more than possible. The raven then leaned in closer to my face as his Sharingan stared dully at my scrunched-closed eyelids from the physical and emotional pain I was dealing with.

"You're still the same, helpless little girl that has no one. No one at all…" He continued in a low, dark tone as he fastened his grip on my neck even tighter.

Hearing those hurtful, piercing words from my own flesh and blood was enough for the tears that I was trying so desperately hard to hold back fall in thin streams down my cheek. It crushed and disgusted me that bastard Itachi was the sight I would see last after I took my last breath. Why the hell did it had to happen this way? This was like that faithful night when our whole family was killed by the man in front of me, when little me tried to take on Itachi after harming helplessly little Sasuke. At the time, I thought I died right then and there along with or deceased mother and father. But miraculously, heaven decided to give me another chance at life to redeem all of the things I had done in retaliation to the unfortunate things I had to deal with living in the Uchiha Clan. Though my good luck got the best of me, I wondered if the heavens gave third chances. If they did, I would rather be reborn as a different person who saw only the good things in life. Yes, that was what I wanted. Maybe Itachi putting me to death wasn't the worst thing. Maybe it was meant to happen considering the whole mess was basically started because of the massacre.

Suddenly, a mere thought of a certain someone popped in my mind. This person gave one of the brightest smiles I'd ever seen. Kabuto Yakushi, that four-eyed bookworm. He was smiling at me without a care in the world. He found a reason to smile and that was why he was happy. His smile made me even smile a bit despite me close to unconsciousness. Why after everything he had been through, how was he still able to smile?

" _Your existence is the only thing that makes him truly happy with himself and his life. You might be the reason why he continues so hard to build himself up and become even stronger…"_ I recalled Orochimaru's theorization on Kabuto's change in attitude.

I weakly gasp as I somehow gained enough strength to open my eyes a bit, seeing more of the light than the dark. That was it. Kabuto found a reason why he should be happy. Orochimaru was right: I was the reason he was able to still smile at life. And as a matter of fact—and shockingly enough—he was the reason I was happier about my life as well. All those times when we spent time with each other, holding each other close, kissing passionately on each other's lips, me sleeping on him after moon and star gazing, insulted each other's misfortunes, and laughed at our past events. All those times… I was _happy_. I was genuinely happy when I was with Kabuto. No matter how difficult it was to see it, I knew that my happiness laid around the male I'd grown to care so much. I had always been such an independent person who pushed people away and sat in my own little dark corner from the rest of the world. I was happy no doubt when I was on my own, but being happy with a significant other who was also happy felt incredible. When I was with him, everything negative had been erased as if it were mere nightmares. I don't ever want to lose that feeling… I don't want to lose Kabuto.

My mind was set, I wasn't going to leave Kabuto's side and I wasn't going to die. No way in hell was I giving up now after searching long and hard for that feeling of happiness and peace.

I sneaked a brief glance at my brother who still held my neck tightly, knowing that I wasn't dead yet. Meanwhile, my hands were wrapped firmly on his wrist but it became weaker as I bounced to and from unconsciousness. If I had to guess, Itachi was telling himself to not let go until I was completely knocked out. Despite my current state, I still had time to get out of his grip alive. Like Kabuto, I possessed the Yin Healing Wound Destruction Jutsu meaning my body basically could heal itself automatically and my condition wasn't too severe for the jutsu to heal me completely. But in order for that to happen, I had to get out of here.

After mentally planning my strategy, I carefully focused a bit of my chakra to the palms of my hands, converting my chakra to the same exact chakra used as my chakra scalpel jutsu except it was invisible to the naked eye. Hopefully, Itachi didn't detect what I was trying to do because he had his Sharingan so it would be really hard to deceive him. But at this point, I had no choice; if I didn't do anything that was it for me. I was committed to defeat Itachi and prove him wrong. That thought motivated me to trickle more of my medical chakra into my brother's arm without him realizing it. My main intention was to cut off any function from the arm that was occupied by my neck.

' _Focus… focus… keep funnelling your chakra into his arm until it reaches his shoulder…'_ I thought to myself hardly; my concentration was at a hundred and ten percent.

I made sure that I still looked I was struggling for air so Itachi wouldn't be suspicious about anything. That was very easy to do since I was still in pain and he was still trying to choke the life out of me. I couldn't help but smirk microscopically when I detected that the right amount of my chakra was positioned right on the main nerves, muscles, and joints of the man's arm.

' _Now!'_ I acknowledged mentally, displaying my excelled skills in chakra control.

At a perfect time, my chakra struck all of his vital nerves, muscles, and joints to an extent where he shouldn't be able to move or feel his right arm anymore. I knew Itachi felt the pain associated to my attack by the way he slightly winced in pain. Though it couldn't be seen by an average shinobi, the sight of his pain was as clear as day to me. After what seemed like a year, Itachi's arm finally lost all of its strength, movement, and feeling which forced him to let go of my neck. I gasped long and deeply for air before a long fit of coughing and wheezing followed from lack of oxygen. I held my chest tightly as I watched with one eye the raven taking a few steps back with his right arm dangling helplessly. At first glance, he didn't seem to care about it nor did it fazed him, but by the glassy look in his eyes, I knew he wasn't too pleased that I basically took one of the most important limbs for a ninja to have.

"I see…" He mused huskily. "You allowed yourself to suffocate and suffer so that I wouldn't pay attention to your chakra's actions…"

I stayed silent mostly because of how long and hard Itachi grabbed my throat, my vocal cords possibly suffered some damage so I knew speaking would cause some pain which I didn't need at the moment. I was also trying to gain my all the oxygen back to my lungs as I continued to breath heavily. If it were longer, I would've suffered severe brain damage. Though I prevented that from happening, I knew based off of how lightheaded I was and the newly-found migraine I was receiving, I might have suffered some brain damage that could easily be tended to.

"You've matured, Katsumi…" The raven remarked dryly, forgetting to check his lifelessly arm, knowing that it was now useless to use.

I subconsciously glanced over at Kisame who still remained sitting against a tree at a distance away from our fight. Though he looked tired, he seemed to be watching our every move intently. He noticed that I was looking at him and gave me a toothy grin, to which I looked away coldly.

"Considering how powerful the girl is, I forget that she's still a kid. Not just any kid… she's an Uchiha…" I overheard Kisame comment in amusement. "I can't believe she actually got Itachi by almost allowing him to kill her… and it costed his arm. I wonder what he'll do now…"

That was the same thing I was wondering. What was his next move?

All of a sudden, Itachi disappeared in a blink of an eye. I gasped and frantically looked around, desperate to find him before he got me. I was still on my knees and I hadn't recuperated enough to take him head on.

"Hn." I heard that familiar grunt and the first thing I did was look over my shoulder only to see my eldest sibling standing right behind me.

If I had to think of the dumbest, stupidest thing that I had ever done, it was briefly looking at his Mangekyō Sharingan. I knew right there that I was literally f**ked. Just when I thought that I could beat him because of how well I knew him.

"Mangekyō Sharingan!" He said lowly as said eyes eyed me strongly.

The next thing I knew, everything became black. I could feel myself losing consciousness as I felt my brother holding me up a bit, making sure that I was actually caught in his genjutsu. The one thing I despised the most out of all of this, Itachi was the last person I saw before my possible death.

 ***Time Skip***

I peeked my head behind a tree near the outline of the clearing as I panted quietly. Good, they hadn't noticed that it was my Shadow Clone Jutsu. I stared briefly at Itachi holding my clone's unconscious body as his partnered walked over to him. I turned away and laid my head against the tree as I sat on a high branch. Thanks to my high IQ and strategy skills, I knew it was a smart move to make a clone of myself while hiding out just in case. That wasn't even the best part; Itachi had no clue. I smiled to myself by the thought of my eldest sibling knowing that I knew most of his weakness and way to get past him which was why he was extra careful with his attacks and moves.

"The weasel is so f**kin' complicated." I commented aloud softly.

I then slightly looked past the tree's stem over to the duo as they seemed to be conversing about me. Though I could hear their voices, it was hard to determine exactly what they were saying. Because of this, I activated my Sharingan to read their lip movements.

"That took you a while, Itachi." Kisame commented incredulously with the toothy grin. "Not only that, she got your right arm good."

"Admittedly, yes. Her medical abilities have grown more powerful… which is exactly why Lord Pain requested us to recruit her." Itachi replied in agreement as his eyes were glued to "my" lifeless body. "We've finally completed our mission and my right arm was just a sacrifice."

"But are you gonna be alright?" Kisame asked concernedly. "You've used up more chakra than you've intended. Plus, you used your Mangekyō Sharingan when you told me that you weren't gonna use it on her."

"To my dismay, she's gotten a lot stronger than I thought. I simply did what I had to do for the mission." The raven replied dismissively, ignoring his partner's concern.

I smirked at my brother's honest compliment, leaning in to hear more of their conversation.

"So that's that…" The swordsman huffed tiredly, hoisting his sword onto his shoulder. "I wonder how she'll react when she learns that she not only lost, but kidnapped too."

"Whatever she has to say is useless from this point on; she's coming back to the Akatsuki." The raven murmured as he adjusted his grip on me with his unaffected arm. "Let's go."

' _Why did I have to be related to a bunch of f**kin' douchebags!?'_ I commented coldly as I narrowed my eyes at my brother for that comment.

I used my sensory ninjutsu to see if they left the area like they had planned to. I didn't sense their chakra any longer, which brought me to believe that I was in the clear. The second I allowed my guard to drop just a bit, I gasped in horror only to see a huge, bandaged sword being swung directly at me. Out of instincts, I took out a kunai knife and blocked the swordsman attack. That did little to save me because the amount of power and strength he had applied on his sword was unimaginable. In fact, it was strong enough to send me flying across the clearing. I managed to keep my balance and landed on my feet without any difficulty. After my feet stopped sliding on the dirt, I glared in frustration at the duo in front of me. The man who had just attempted to murder me a moment ago, moved himself beside my brother who still held my clone. In one move, my Shadow Clone disappeared in a puff of smoke. Itachi continued to give me the old stoic, blank look as I returned with a cold stare.

"So, you knew, huh?" I mused dryly.

Meanwhile, the shark-faced giant snickered darkly as his clone that was speaking with the raven liquefied into a puddle of water. _'So, he was speaking to a Water Clone, huh?'_

"A trick like that won't work on me." The raven remarked expressionlessly. "However, it would've worked if it weren't for these eyes of mine…"

"I figured that." I responded hardly, then turning to his large partner beside him. "I also figured that he would've backed you up on mischief just in case."

"My, my…" Kisame grinned amusingly. "The girl's got a brain…"

"Shut the f**k up, scaly bastard!" I snapped hastily, activating my Sharingan.

"Geez, your sister has some attitude… and language…" He commented lowly.

"Never mind that, Kisame. We don't have time to waste." Itachi dismissed him completely, eyeing me carefully. "Our leader will grow impatient if we don't capture her soon."

"Hate to break it to you, Itachi… but he's already getting tired of waiting." His partner informed hesitantly as the raven gave him a look that urged him to explain. "I answered his call since you were too busy with her. I briefed what was going on and simply demanded us to get the work done or else we may pay the price for it."

"So, what do you suggest?" My brother questioned, briefly eyeing his comrade.

"We work together to defeat your sister, is what I'm suggesting." He answered lowly, throwing me a serious look. "Besides, you can no longer use your right arm; it will take forever for you to beat her at this rate."

"Don't underestimate me, Kisame." Itachi warned lightly.

"Just giving you the heads-up, is all." Kisame defended playfully.

I was tired of hearing nothing but bulls**t coming out of their mouths. I expressed this annoyance by glaring at him exasperatedly.

"Listen, why do you need me of all people?" I questioned in irritation. "There are other medics that are more than capable in offering you their services."

"But we don't need just _any_ medic; we need a medic whose medical ninjutsu is one of the strongest." Kisame replied dully. "You're the only one who has no allegiance with any village. That makes it easier for us to get what we need without any interruptions,"

"I already told you _**no!**_ " I snapped lividly, hating the fact that my feelings were meaningless to their selfish beings. "Just leave me the f**k alone!"

"Like I said, you have no other option than to come with us." Itachi spoke up, sounding slightly impatient.

I gritted my teeth exasperatedly at them. I was at an impasse; there was literally no way I could handle two of the most dangerous, high-classed criminals in the books. I thought about calling for some back-up, but the nearest hideout was literally the one Orochimaru, Sasuke, Kabuto, and I currently resided and that was literally miles away from here. Plus, I knew they would easily kill off any attempt of signal I made. There literally was no other choice; I had to fight them in order to survive. With that thought, I quickly weaved some hand signs and took a huge breath in. The next second was when I breathed out a large ball of fire. As I did so, I weaved another set of hand signs for another jutsu.

' _Wind Style: Air Current Wild Dance!'_ I summoned verbally as I continued to blow out my fireball jutsu. I then held out my palm, releasing my wind jutsu to compliment greatly with my fire jutsu.

The combination of my jutsu resulted the inferno to increase in size and intensity. It headed straight for the two Akatsuki members as they stood there motionlessly. The moment I believed I actually got them, Kisame stepped forward and used his massive sword to slice the inferno completely in half, causing the fire to cleanly miss them. This movement made a clean pathway of fire throughout the same clearing we were standing on. Just before they were able to recover, I focused my chakra to the bottoms of my feet as I ran with incredible speed. I pulled out my bladed claws, cloaked with chakra. Kisame jumped in front of Itachi and blocked my attack with his gigantic sword. He gave me a cocky grin as I glared at him deadly while struggling to par with his incredible strength he applied on his sword.

"A little warning for you, kid." He spoke with a threatening grin. "I won't go easy on you just because you're my partner's little sister, so you may not walk out of here conscious. Think of it as payback for screwing up his arm."

"What _brother_?" I seethed fumingly, using my anger to increase my strength.

"The brother you wish to kill someday?" Kisame answered in question, confused by my use of words.

"Why would I wish to kill someone when they're already dead to me!?" I barked coldly, earning a stunned reaction from my large opponent. "Itachi's dead to me! I don't consider him my brother or someone that I'm proud of being related to!"

Kisame then glanced over at said raven who watched us from a short distance away with a dull look.

"Gee, Itachi. Did ya hear that?" He mused lowly with a small smile. "She doesn't consider you as her brother and that you're even _dead_ to her."

"Hn." Itachi merely responded, resting his eyes.

He pulled away a mere second then swung his sword at me again. This time, I jumped over his swing then ducked on his rebound swing. I then pulled back my arm then swung my bladed weapon at him. Kisame leaned back, away from my attack. I flipped backwards a few times and made hand signs as my opponent ran towards me with a low cry.

As he ran towards me with his big ass sword, I used my Air Current Jutsu again on him. He abruptly stopped and jabbed his sword in the soft earth as he held onto the handle, preventing himself from being swept away by my Wind Jutsu. Once the wind died down a bit, rushed directly at him with a handful of senbon gripped tightly in between my fingers. I threw them all at my opponent and at the second, he took out a kunai and blocked most of my needles except for a few which were able to hit deeply in his arms and shoulders. He realized this and growled displeasingly at me to which I returned the growl with a confident smirk. Just before he played his move in the fight, his fish-like eyes shot wide open while his body started to shake in pain. I watched his knees getting shakier and shakier by the minute, struggling to keep his enormous figure up.

"What the hell!?" He exclaimed in confusion. "What's going on?! I'm starting to feel numb!"

"Should've stayed in your tank like a good little fish." I mocked cockily, placing a hand on my waist as I watched him in entertainment.

"I see..." I overheard Itachi analyzing lowly as he continued to watch from afar.

After hearing his dark-haired partner, Kisame awed in realization as to what was wrong. He then glared darkly at me with his toothy gritted teeth grinding against each other in pure anger.

"You little brat, you've poisoned me!" He concluded lowly, trying to decrease his kill instincts. "These needles on me... they're covered in poison, weren't they?"

"Not just any poison..." I corrected flatly with a straight face as my time kept the smugness I was feeling. "This poison was created by your ex-member, Orochimaru. This creation of his is very strong; it can paralyze you and shut down your immune system if you don't obtain the right antidote."

Kisame just kept quiet while giving me a death glared. He then grunted in pain one last time and dropped down to his knees; his legs were finally paralyzed. It would only take a few hours for his entire body to feel the excruciating pain it was enduring at the same feel the numbness overcoming his body. The thought of actually defeating one of the Seven Hidden Swordsmen of the Mist was so unbelievable yet very impressive at the same time. I had come a long way since leaving the Hidden Leaf. I could feel myself getting stronger and by the look my brother was giving me, he saw how much I'd improved.

Then, in the corner in my eye, I saw the "paralyzed" male coming straight at me. My eyes widened incredulously at him as he attacked me with his gigantic sword. Out of mere instincts, I jumped far away from him to collect myself from that shock. I couldn't believe that after being paralyzed, he was still able to feel never mind move.

"How the hell...?" I breathed in disbelief.

"Reminder: if you have the Sharingan, take advantage of it and use it." Kisame smirked arrogantly. "That way, you may have noticed that the one you poisoned was a Water Clone."

"F**k!" I huffed in frustration.

At this rate, it would take literally forever to get back to the hideout. I could already tell Kabuto woke up from his coma and worried sick about me. Meanwhile Sasuke wouldn't give any sort of s**t and Orochimaru was probably suspicious about my disappearance. I needed to get this job done and I needed to do it quick. But how?

I don't have enough chakra to deal with two of the most formidable villains in the books. Plus, none of my jutsu worked on either of them. Well... except for one. There was my other kekkei genkai: my Typhoon Style. This particular release was similar to Wind Style however it was ten times more powerful and intense. I developed this special technique when Itachi trained me, around the same time we were trying to determine my Chakra Nature. Since then, I had trained long and hard to master it until I finally succeeded. I hadn't use my kekkei genkai for a while because I would normally use it when it was absolutely necessary. I guessed it was the right time to use it.

As I took a deep breath in, I weaved a long series of hand signs. I could already feel Itachi watching me carefully, assuming my realizing what my next move was.

"Kisame." I heard him call his partner lowly.

"I know." The man replied lazily and then weaved hand signs of his own. "This stops now!"

I calmly closed my eyes as I focused my chakra on my jutsu as I felt my opponent concentrating much more chakra than I was for his attack.

"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!" I heard Kisame's voice calling out his attack.

Because of my familiarization of this jutsu, I visualized the water projectiles shaped as hungry sharks coming straight at me. Thought it seemed I was in danger, I remained standing exactly where I was holding a tiger seal hand sign with my eyes closed. Before the Shark Bomb Jutsu could touch me, a small tornado-like wind spun around my personal space like a shield cutting of the water attack.

"What is this chakra?" I heard Kisame question to himself curiously.

"Typhoon Release..." I slightly heard Itachi answer Kisame's question.

Once I had slowly opened my eyes, the typhoon around my got bigger, stronger, and faster to the point where it lifted me off my feet. Both Akatsuki members watched me as I moved higher and higher to the sky with the wind circling around me as I held my tiger hand sign. I eyed them hardly, focusing my chakra for my big and hopefully final attack. Because of my high chakra concentration, the sky became gloomier due to clouds forming surely in the sky until no brilliant blue could be seen anymore. The typhoon around me started leaving my body and moving rapidly and aggressively in any possible direction to the point where rooting your feet to the ground with chakra was mandatory. I sensed Itachi and Kisame doing just that as they glanced up at me while struggling to prevent themselves from being taken away by the strong wind storm.

"What kind of jutsu is this!?" The bigger man asked warily, looking at my brother for an answer.

Itachi simply briefed a look at the blue-skinned man and blinked dully.

"Katsumi's kekkei genkai." He answered lowly but loud enough for his comrade to hear. "It's a powerful Chakra Nature, stronger than Wind. It allows her to bend and control powerful wind storms by using this special chakra of hers."

"Wow, that's impressive." Kisame mused. "But I expected nothing less from an Uchiha, especially those who are closely related to you."

"Never mind that, Kisame." Itachi dismissed flatly, turning his attention towards me. "This jutsu isn't like any normal jutsu mostly because this attack involves Mother Nature's anger; it's impossible to stop nature. That's the biggest advantage Katsumi has against us."

"Alright then." Kisame grinned widely as he made a hand sign for another jutsu. "Let's stop this 'special' jutsu of hers."

"No, Kisame. Jutsu won't work on her at this moment." Itachi interjected quickly. "That typhoon is solely being controlled by her. She can use it as offence and defence in unison. Whatever you throw at her, she can easily stop your jutsu with the typhoon and use it against you."

"Okay then. So, what do you suggest?" The large man inquired impatiently.

"Just avoid any attack she throws at you." He replied quickly as he eyed me. "In order to stop this jutsu of hers, we have to hit her directly with taijutsu."

With my chakra, I threw a sharp stream of wind directly at them. This resulted them to cut their conversation short and dodge my attack.

"Easier said than done, Itachi." Kisame remarked huskily as he slid back from dodging another one of my typhoon attacks. "With this jutsu of hers, we can't even manage to touch her."

Itachi remained quiet as he moved flexibly away from my attacks as he gave a brief look at his partner. Kisame responded with a huff and roughly moved away from another attack. As I eyed them hardly with my Sharingan eyes and held a tiger seal, I continued to throw cyclones and typhoons at them to get them to lose some balance in their movements. I knew I had a better chance in getting Kisame because he was the type of ninja who was quite impulsive and reckless whereas Itachi very particular and precise with his movements. I watched the two dodging in different forms to prevent themselves from not getting sliced up by my sharp winds. The point to this attack was to drain them down a bit to the point where their movements and reaction time were slow and sloppy.

That tactic was achieved after a moment of basic offense. It was time to end this battle.

I weaved a few hand signs in the following order: dog, hare, and finally serpent.

"Typhoon Style: Consecutive Bursting Strong Winds!" I exclaimed as I held the serpent seal.

Seconds past when the clouds above us formed a gigantic vortex spiralling crazily. I winced my eyes wide then a tornado formed from the vortex and slammed itself down on the ground in front of my opponents. They watched warily as the long, crazy cyclone grew bigger and bigger in size. Once it enveloped both Kisame and Itachi, I made sure it stopped growing uncontrollably for the safety of others around the outer area we were currently in. I watched them covering their faces desperately as the wind circled them quickly.

' _Good. They're in the twister.'_ I thought in relief, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

As I kept the size of the twister the same, I did order it to rotate faster and faster until it was close to the speed of sound. This caused both men to be swept off of their feet from the ground and lifted up in the air within the strong, rotating wind. Despite the fact they were up in the air, they still protected their face from possible damage or object that could hit them. I then focused my chakra even more, dipping into my Chakra Nature even more to sharpen the wind. Once I succeeded, I could see the winds nicking, slitting and cutting any bare skin of the two criminals. Kisame hissed in pain as Itachi only showed his pain by his one eye closed shut tightly. I watched their blood slowly dripping down on their wounds the wind continued to cut them from different places and directions. The sight of their pin and struggle made my lips curve upward; I was finally gaining the upper hand.

Who knew I could stand a chance against two of the most formidable, S-ranked criminals?

' _Time to end this once and for all!'_ I proclaimed determinedly, and made a dragon seal with my hands.

It was a second later when a gust of wind came out of the vortex and crunched up behind me. It gradually formed itself into a large phoenix made purely by my wind chakra. It cawed obnoxiously as it flapped its wings, causing strong gusts of wind to harshly blow on the enemy. Kisame opened his one fish eyes and gasped to see what was in front of him and his partner.

"What… what the hell is that!?" He exclaimed incredulously.

Itachi stayed silent as he used his one eye that wasn't closed to see the situation himself. He then glanced at me with a blank look but I knew deep inside, he was impressed of how much I had improved my jutsu and abilities. My smirked stretched further as my wind phoenix cawed some more.

"I warned you two to leave me alone and you didn't bother to listen." I spoke up hardly. "Now you will pay for your stupidity, and all of the horrible deeds and pain you've caused!"

My wind phoenix lifted its head back and immediately snapped its head forward, releasing a sharp stream of wind that headed straight towards them. Since the wind was very strong and sharp, it caused more wounds to appear on my enemies and deepened the pre-existing wounds.

"Now!" I signalled and my phoenix cawed one final time then it soared down directly towards its targets.

The larger male gaped at this as he watched the graceful bird headed towards them with incredible speed.

"This thing is moving too fast!" He indicated frantically. "We can't escape it in time."

Despite the circumstances, Itachi still remained calm and collected however I did see a bit of worry in his eyes. He realized that he was truly at an impasse. With that sight, I smiled down at them wickedly as my crimson eyes shined proudly at the sight they were seeing.

"Ninja Art: Typhoon Style: Ultimate Phoenix Wind!" I announced just a second before said wind creature hit its target.

The amount of force and power slamming hard on the earth caused the entire area to shake hardly as everything on the ground was blown away or ripped off from the soil, leaving a clean ground of dirt and dust. The small quake lasted over a minute as I watched from above the powerful jutsu I performed. This was literally the first time I had used this jutsu because it took a while for me to master it. Plus, the amount of chakra required for this jutsu was quite a lot and the amount of concentration and focus of chakra was way out of jonin-level. Considering how I just did it perfectly, I was very proud of myself especially at the time I needed it the most. Now it was all over; I actually won. I was rewarded by the sky finally removing the clouds, showing off its friend, the sun, and its bright blue colour.

I sighed deeply in relief while lowering myself slowly towards the ground. The second my feet touched the earth, I cautiously walked over to the corpses of Kisame and Itachi as they laid there in a pool of their own blood. Their flesh and skin was torn from their bodies as they laid on the crumbled boulders and rocks from my attack. I briefly scanned my surroundings, taking into account that the forest we'd once stood in was barely a forest; it was merely a large deserted area with dust. I could vaguely see the new outline of trees that weren't affected severely from the blast, remained standing tall and proud. I glanced back at the dead bodies, particularly Itachi's. I was glad that I was able to defeat my brother and especially proving him wrong about everything about me. Most importantly, I proved myself that I could defeat one of the most talented, skilled, powerful shinobi of all time. The only drawback was Sasuke not being the one to bring our oldest sibling down. I wasn't sure how he was going to react but considering what our current terms between us, he wouldn't be too happy if he learned that all of his hard work and training was for nothing.

But at the moment, I couldn't care less. I survived an impossible, deadly scenario and that was what only mattered. Now that that was done, I should probably get back to the hideout. But the second I took a step away from the bodies, my eyes shot wide open appallingly as I felt a cold, familiar presence standing right behind me.

"Where do you think you're going?" The gruff voice questioned darkly as I felt his smirk on me.

Before I had the chance to turn my head, I was hit harshly by a strong, powerful object that consisted of sharp spikes of some sort. Because of the large amount of force put into this attack, my body flew back helplessly then it tumbled hardly on the fresh dirt. It wasn't until a moment later when I grabbed my strength to land weakly on my feet as this made me slide back a bit more. A moment passed when I finally came to a stop. I panted heavily as I glared coldly at the large man with the equally large sword who was responsible for that attack. I attempted to adjust my position but I immediately felt a sting everywhere on my body. I glanced down and was appalled to see all of the deep cuts and slashes made by the dark spikes located on the upper portion of the man's sword. I eyed him with even more coldness as he returned the glare with a wide grin.

"How the f**k did you survive an attack like that?" I inquired lividly, gripping my arm to stop the bleeding from one cut. "I couldn't sense your chakra at all!"

Kisame giggled at my analysis, mocking my pitiful self. After glaring at the man for a moment, I was baffled to learn that my chakra was literally close to zero. It was appalling because yes, I used a significant amount on my jutsu, but I remembered thoroughly that I didn't use all of it at once. That was when I took a good look at the Shark Skin sword Kisame wielded which was moving quite a bit. Then it hit me: Shark Skin feasted on chakra when it came into contact with any source. This explained why my chakra was so low all of a sudden; that damned sword chowed down on my chakra.

I examined the body of the swordsman and saw that despite avoiding my final attack, he still sustained injuries prior to my wind phoenix attack. So, it couldn't have been a mere Substitution Jutsu. Then what was it?

I gasped in shock when I sensed another familiar presence behind me and spun around frantically. Regardless, I received nothing but a God-awful kick to the stomach by none other than Itachi Uchiha. I was once again thrown away from my spot and instead of landing on my feet, I tumbled hardly on the ground until I came to a stop with my body laying helplessly on the ground. The only thing in front of my eyes at the moment was a blurry sight of the clear blue sky. I looked up at it disappointedly, thinking what had gone wrong.

Instead of getting an answer, another strong foot jammed itself gladly into my gut. This time, it remained literally crushing into my stomach causing me to gag and cough in blood. With one weak eye, I looked up to see a smirking Kisame towering over me with his large foot nailed into my midsection. I gripped his ankle desperately, wanting nothing more than this foot to get the f**k off of my stomach. It was so hard to breathe because the man above me crushed my ribs and stomach to the point where anyone else in my situation would be dead already. I wheezed as more blood spurted out of my mouth from severe internal bleeding.

"Finally, had enough, kiddo?" He taunted mockingly, pushing his foot down on my even more to which I cried in pain. "You have no idea how much trouble you are…"

My mind was literally on survival mode; I tried my hardest to take in as much oxygen as I could. But that just resulted to more pain in my chest. I had high tolerance to pain my whole life, but what I was feeling right now couldn't even compare to what I had "felt" before. It was both excruciating and overwhelming; I did whatever I could to not burst into tears. I started making whimpering sounds out of pure desperation as I tried whatever I could with both of my hands just to get this foot off of me.

"Don't be reckless, Kisame." Itachi told him warningly. "Remember, we're supposed to take her in alive."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Kisame replied dismissively. "But because of how tough she is, we can't go easy on her or else she'll pull out another trick of hers."

I stole a quick look of my brother who stood aside with his usual stoic, pale face looking down at me, unfazed by my condition.

"No matter." He simply stated and moved a bit closer to me. "Hold her still, Kisame."

I gasped in horror at his words. I realized what he was going to do: he was going to cast his powerful genjutsu on me. That was the last thing I ever wanted to happen especially at a time like this. I had to escape and I had to do it quick. Out of instincts, I used the last bit of my chakra to activate my chakra scalpel and swiftly pressed my hand on the foot that remained nailed in my midsection, cutting off some of the ligaments in the foot and ankle. Kisame responded by roaring in pain, immediately removing his foot from my stomach. I wasted no time and started running as fast as I could, as far as I could. I felt another series of pain all over my body especially my stomach after that stunt from blue whale behind me. I ignored my body that was telling me to stop and continued using the last bits of strength I had in me to escape from those monsters. I held my midsection with one arm as I panted in exhaustion until I started to notice that I was getting a bit lightheaded. I shook my head, trying to keep myself up and running.

I had no clue where I got this amount of willpower from until I saw an image of Kabuto standing at a long distance away from me. He was the source to my determination to not fall in defeat. I swore to myself that I would stay by his side no matter what and I wasn't planning on breaking that promise any time soon. The sight of his kind, bright, genuine smile boosted the strength of my legs, pushing me even harder to move forward. I was going to see Kabuto even if I had to lose everything. There was nothing that would stand in my way.

But alas, I felt further insult to injury—more salt put on the wound—when the image of my partner was replaced by my eldest sibling who appeared out of nowhere in front of me. My first reaction was to hit him to get out of the way, but he sensed that and swiftly pulled out a kunai and used it to stab me in the already injured, sore midsection. I felt my blood pouring out of the fresh wound inflicted on me and fall onto the ground. My eyes widened in excruciating pain as I felt my knees getting weaker and weaker. I shakenly lifted my head to look up at my brother meekly as he eyed me back expressionlessly.

"You've gotten strong, Katsumi. Very strong…" He remarked dryly as he shoved the knife deeper into my stomach.

This caused more blood to come out of my mouth and wound to the point where I felt myself getting even more lightheaded.

"However, you're not strong enough to defeat me." He added darkly, watching my blood making a large pool on the ground emotionlessly. "No matter what you do, you'll never be able to defeat me…"

As much as I wanted to retort, I lost too much blood for me to see and think straight; everything was foggy and blurry to the point where I couldn't recognize Itachi anymore. After one final glimpse of my damned brother, my head dropped lifelessly as my whole body was literally supported by only the raven's arms. I was semiconscious when Itachi then grabbed me by my hair and forcibly lifted my head up, making sure my dead eyes were looking directly at his. I knew that after this, it was over for me. My life flashed before my eyes as flashbacks of my childhood, Squad 7, and of the Leaf Rookies rushed through my mind. The last thought I had was Kabuto Yakushi: the one man who I would've never thought I would fall for. I was heartbroken that I failed him; if spots were switched, he would've crawled back to me with only one arm and leg left. Whereas I—like always—didn't prove myself to him or any one of my loved ones. I couldn't earn their respect no matter what I do and unfortunately, I would never be able to get it.

' _I'm sorry… Kabuto…'_ I murmured sadly in thought as I was forced to have my brother as my last sight.

The next thing I knew, I succumbed to Itachi Uchiha's genjutsu that put me into complete darkness.

* * *

 **Chapter 26 complete! Again, I'm super sorry for the wait. But, hopefully this chapter made it up to you a tiny bit at the most. Let's pray that I'll a lot sooner than three months, lol.**


End file.
